avactor_edit, Author at Strength After

Douglas P. deSilvey

VIA StoryCorps | August 25, 2006 Audio Story

Losing a family—I don’t think there’s any words for it.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Users: Please text or call using your preferred Relay provider. For more resources, click here.

For Spanish: Call or text and press “2”. For more resources, click here.

Para Español: Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 1-800-985-5990 y oprima el número 2. Para más recursos, haga clic aquí.

When you’re a native to the Gulf Coast, you get used to storms—but Hurricane Katrina, of course, was not just another storm. Douglas P. deSilvey was with his closest family members when the roof of their Mississippi home caved in on them, and he lost his wife, daughter, mother-in-law, and father-in-law. A year after such a tragic loss, he’s still trying to put his life back together and figure out what life means now.

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Kiersta Kurtz-Burke and Justin Lundgren

VIA StoryCorps | Audio Story

It was probably the biggest leap of faith of my life.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Users: Please text or call using your preferred Relay provider. For more resources, click here.

For Spanish: Call or text and press “2”. For more resources, click here.

Para Español: Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 1-800-985-5990 y oprima el número 2. Para más recursos, haga clic aquí.

As Hurricane Katrina approached, patients at Charity Hospital, which had been in operation for nearly 300 years, grew increasingly anxious that they might be left behind. Dr. Kiersta Kurtz-Burke focused on keeping her patients informed and calm, but eventually had to help them evacuate by putting them on boats.

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Joshua Norman and Rachel Leifer

VIA StoryCorps | Audio Story

When the storm hit and I started getting calls from people in tears, that made me believe that there’s some good to be done here.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or other mental health concerns after a disaster, the Disaster Distress Helpline is here for you 24/7/365.

1-800-985-5990

For Deaf and Hard of Hearing ASL Users: Please text or call using your preferred Relay provider. For more resources, click here.

For Spanish: Call or text and press “2”. For more resources, click here.

Para Español: Llame o envíe un mensaje de texto al 1-800-985-5990 y oprima el número 2. Para más recursos, haga clic aquí.

Joshua Norman worked on site as a reporter after Hurricane Katrina hit, and he documented the heartbreaking stories of those affected by the storm. Something he didn’t expect was the impact of including as many names as possible in his stories—he started getting calls from people who found out their loved ones survived because he included them in his stories. And that ability to give something so valuable to so many people renewed his faith in the importance of his work.

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