CLV Couple Helps Gulf Coast Hurricane Victims
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many of us felt overwhelmed about how to help those affected. Instead of taking a planned week’s vacation, CLV residents Mary Sue and Gary Johnson spent a week helping hurricane victims in Louisiana.
“We thought about using the money we had set aside for our vacation and donating to The Red Cross,” said Mary Sue. The Johnson’s also wanted to go and physically help the victims. Mary Sue has been an R.N. for over 30 years and Gary has a heart for helping people as well.
“We heard of another nurse and her husband going and we began researching if we could work it out,” Mary Sue said.
The couple connected with the Hope Crisis Response Network (HCRN) located out of Elkhart, Indiana and after defeating layers of bureaucracy and getting the proper shots and permission, the couple loaded a church bus and began their trip south.
“After a 15 hour bus ride and them changing our destination twice, we actually got down there,” Johnson said. “Some nurses got right off the bus and started working that morning.”
The couple’s destination turned out to be Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. The couple had brought their own food, toiletry items and sleeping bags as they had no idea what kind of conditions they would be living in during their stay.
“When we got there we were taken to someone’s home,” Johnson said. “We had home cooking and restaurant food. We slept in a bed, had running water.”
The group that the Johnson’s were with had nurses, first responders, and doctors from the Southern Indiana area. “We performed basic nursing and the people worked well together. Everyone blended in and did what they had to do.”
Most of the 137 people they were helping needed the very basics such as receiving medications, checking vital signs, tube feedings, and having a clean place to stay. Many of the people they helped escaped the hurricane with only the clothes they were wearing.
“I thought the people that organized it (the shelter) were terrific,” Johnson said. Johnson said she was dismayed when she would hear people saying what a terrible job FEMA was doing. From what she saw, the shelter was well stocked and organized. “FEMA was great. They were working hard. Donations were being received and being used.”
“I’d love to go back down,” Mary Sue said. “If I had more vacation time, I’d go again. When we retire, we’d love to do more things like this.”
Gary got to do a little bit of everything from running out and getting pizzas to sitting and talking with patients or family members. “I don’t think we did anything glorious.”
Others would think what they did was extraordinary.
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