Bud's Story

"The benchmark was Camille in ’69. That was 200 mile per hour wind. This was only 135, that’s a breeze. I stayed in my house through Camille and I stayed through this Katrina too… until the water came in. We stayed right here in this hallway during Camille, me , my wife and the girls were small. We filled the tub with water, in case you have to go to the toilet or something. But this time the water came in and over the tub. And I had Shadow. She was out on the porch and I went out to get her and put her right on the bed. She was soaking and shivering but she didn’t move. There was 3 and a half feet of water in this house, and when it went out… it went out as fast as it came in. I didn’t get the mud. The mud is from the bottom of the Gulf and it smells something awful. I was staying here but after a few days, my son in law drove down. I don’t know how he got through with all of those downed trees. But he pulled up in his car and told me he’d hogtie me if he had too but I was going. I couldn’t take Shadow. She was 20. That’s 140 in dog years… The best thing to do was to put her to sleep. There were no vets open, so my neighbors took her to where they was going and when they came back they brought her to me and I buried her in the spot where the oak trees roots were turned up. That was the only soft spot of dirt in the whole yard. I buried her out there.

When I finish with the house I’m gonna put a new tree over there… maybe a maple or a palm……….."


How You Can Help

Bud needs everything. His house is no more than a frame. He really needs an electrician, insulation for walls, roof, and ceiling, and sheet rock. He also needs people to come and help him rebuild his house. Please give what you can.