Katrina Sculptures

Right after Hurricane Katrina, one of my Mississippi friends told me how then-Governor Haley Barbour addressed the people of his state. He said something to the effect of "we've just got to hitch up our britches and go to work." In other words, "we've got this thing to deal with, so let's get to it." I've been amazed and inspired by the people on the Mississippi coast since that phenomenal storm. They still talk about Katrina as if it happened yesterday, but at the same time, they've been steadily moving forward, one small step at a time. Beautiful sculptures like this one, made from live oaks killed by the hurricane, dot the coast. We photographed this one in Bay St. Louis, a spirited little town that has fought hard to come back from the storm. I'll never forget what this place looked like before Katrina or what it looked like a few months after, when I was here to cover it for Southern Living. The entire coast looked like it had been bombed. I remember driving past a woman who was standing in her front yard, rake in hand, with a dazed expression on her face. Mountains of debris surrounded her and all she had was that rake, but she was clearing what she could. It's wonderful to see homes rebuilt and communities restored. It's good to see people smiling again.