Open chat / Family in Mississippi and Louisiana / Sabby 20 years ago

Family in Mississippi and Louisiana

Hi guys, I dont usually post drama RL related. But my family and loved ones (all of them) are in Mississippi and Louisiana and suffered through the Hurricane on Monday.

I am asking for prayers for them and getting everything back in order. They have no lights (for up to three weeks they have been told.) While the house was spared for my Mom and Dad, I am not sure about my other families as phone lines are down and they cant even be reached.

I am in Toronto with no way to even get down South to them, not that me with 3 kids under age 6 would be much help.

Keep them in your thoughts please, and pray that MS/LA can quickly overcome this horrible disaster.

Verileah 20 years ago

I hope you hear from those you haven't been able to contact yet soon :(.

ROzbeans 20 years ago

Mike told me that the military base out there, Keesler AFB was completely wiped out, the flight line and housing. =/ I feel for anyone out there. /comfort

Lolanae 20 years ago

My prayers are with you hun. I was born and raised in Louisiana. My family lives in North Louisiana, but I get updates from my mom almost daily on the happenings there. (She's a seriff's deupty in Caddo Parrish, so she hears alot that way.)

I hope you hear from your family soon.

And the talk of military bases. The Naval Reserve home port of sorts is New Orleans. No clue what shape it's in. The Navy has aid ships and helicopters on the way there, and 10,000 more Nation Guard were mobilized today.

Maeya 20 years ago

I don't know if there's anything I'd be able to do to help you here in Atlanta, but if you can think of anything at all that I can do, please don't hesitate to ask. Even if it's just sending teddy bears to the kids (not sure on the mail system). I feel very helpless here and would love a chance to help ease the suffering in even one person's life over there.

immy 20 years ago

A friend of mine posted this yesterday on our guilds board. We have several guildies down there who we haven't heard from yet (though, I'm sure posting on a message board is the least of their concerns). My thoughts are with everyone down there as well as everyone who knows someone there.

Aadina the Magician

So I emailed the Mayor of New Orleans this past Sunday before the Hurricane hit:

Sir,

My name is PFC Anthony Vaccariello, and I'm stationed at Fort Polk, LA. In light of recent news concerning the weather, especially Hurricane Katrina, I would like to offer storm relief to the City of New Orleans.
I am not in a place of command, and I do not have authority to make such decisions on my own. However, I know that the 2-30th Infantry Battalion here on post has a myriad of willing soldiers who would feel honored to come help with the storm relief. Personally, after living in Louisiana for a year and being in the Army for a year and a half, I've grown partial to this land, and it's people.
What I ask from you is the willingness to make this happen. Our chain of command for post starts with Post Commander General Barbero. It goes down as follows: Brigade Commander Colonel A. Kent Schweikert, to Battalion Commander: Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Metternich. Colonel Metternich is directly responsible to the Battalion's soldiers.

The numbers I have given you are the commercial lines to each of the following commanders. It may be hard to reach them on those lines during their off hours. If you would like, and you find this offer useful, I can personally make the calls up through the chain of command regarding the issue. Usually, that is not how it works, but I feel that since we are in a state of emergency, exceptions to policy can be made. I will take whatever reprecussions are handed down.

Public (Commercial) Numbers:
General Barbero: (337) 531-XXXX - Post Commander
Colonel Schweikert: (337) 653-XXXX - 4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Commander
Lieutenant Colonel Metternich: (337) 653-XXXX - 2-30th Infantry Regiment Commander (Wild Boars!)

Those numbers are public contacts to each. I understand this e-mail may be read later than intended, and I will work at other methods to pass this message along.

Godspeed,
PFC Anthony Vaccariello
Delta Company, 2-30th Infantry Regiment
4th Brigade, 10th Mountain Division
Fort Polk, LA 71459
Cell: (513) 288-XXXX

Then 2 hours later, in the midst of a million things this man must have been doing - he replied

Thanks for the offer. We will see what we can work out.

C. Ray Nagin
Mayor - New Orleans

A few hours after that, a call was made to our post, and now we're on our way down to New Orleans to try to help with the emergency storm relief. I won't be on for a while. I have my laptop with me, and I'll give you guys updates as soon as I can get them. But with the death toll rising, I'm really concerend with everyone's wellbeing down there.

So, I'll see you guys when I see you.

Tony

I'm so proud of him.

ROzbeans 20 years ago

Wow that made me cry. =(

Guest 20 years ago

Maelarya

Wow that made me cry. =(

Me too >_<

Sabreyn, please don't feel like you're making a drama post. This is a big deal that's affecting a lot of people. You have every right to look for support here.

ROzbeans 20 years ago

Ryala

Sabreyn, please don't feel like you're making a drama post. This is a big deal that's affecting a lot of people. You have every right to look for support here.

Roger that. :)

Jessikah 20 years ago

*bighugz* I'll keep your family in my prayers. I live in Lafayette, Louisiana -- and my fiance' lives in Baton Rouge. It hit very close to home here. Phones have been really acting up all across Louisiana, so try not to stress *too* much about those you haven't heard from yet. My parents in Morgan City can't make long distance phone calls on either their landlines or their cells b/c the phonelines are all that messed up and Morgan City didn't get hit hardly at all. *morehugz*

Mai 20 years ago

I'm here in Atlanta also if there's a way to help. My ex's family is from there but he said his mother is fine, though his brother is stuck out on a rig in the ocean. Helicopters have been diverted for use elsewhere.

I hope you hear from them soon. :hug

Sabby 20 years ago

Thanks all for the kind words my mom's sisters are ok we found out and so it looks that everyone is alive and well... Minor flooding of homes and a few knocked down trees, we were lucky. Still praying for others out there!

Adiene 20 years ago

your friends , family are in our thoughts and prayers.
awe , ... people like PFC Anthony Vaccariello make me pround to be military related even if I am just a spouse right now. .. there are so many poeple like that I have run into that just dont get the attention they really do deserve.
Real close friend of the famil (i call her my aunt since I've known her from day 1) has still not heard for her sister and family :(

If there is anything I can do from over here in England send me an email :D I feel so out of the loop here

Rikr 20 years ago

Thanks for posting this. My dad moved back a couple years ago from MS. He would have been in an area hit by this hurricane. I have 2 RL friends that live in Biloxi. Thankfully they are all alive. Truly a devistating time for all in and around the surrounding areas, and their families. My thoughts and prayers are with everyones families that were affected by this tragedy, and to my friends here that have and also the ones that dont have families in the storm path.