Katrina families find solace, charity
20.09.2005, 18:50
Hurricane Katrina saw to it that they couldn't return home.
The families approached their cars after leaving a Destin hotel and weren't sure about which direction to take. They had nowhere to go.
The McLeod and Telleria families — and best friends — knew from the television images that their New Orleans-area homes were probably under water, along with their livelihoods. There was no reason to go back there.
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They looked at a Florida map, and Lourdes McLeod remembered visiting Fort Myers once, about nine years ago. "We never really knew where we were going," the mother of two said. "We just started driving this way.
"But we knew we had to stay strong for the children."
All eight of the McLeods and Tellerias are Catholic, and they wanted to get their children in school as soon as possible. Once in Fort Myers, they made a call to St. Andrew Catholic School in Cape Coral.
By the following week, the McLeod children — 9-year-old Eric and 4-year-old Logan — and the Telleria kids — 10-year-old Jessica and 13-year-old Christian — were enrolled.
Then their lives, so devastated only a week earlier, changed dramatically. School supplies, uniforms, money and gift certificates of all kinds were donated by local businesses and St. Andrew parishioners.
"The people around us welcomed us so much," Lourdes McLeod said.
The biggest surprise came last week. A St. Andrew family, the Fronceks, donated a home on Cornwallis Parkway for the McLeods. They'll stay there rent free for the rest of the year. On Thursday, FOS Furniture donated a houseful of furniture — beds, chairs, tables, lamps and chests. The items were delivered Friday.
Before the furniture arrived, the McLeods had only a mattress, a lawn chair and a television.
"Last year, we dodged a bullet; we were so lucky," Rob Koetting, vice president for FOS furniture, said about Hurricane Charley. "It's awesome we were able to help out."
THE ORDEAL
The McLeods and Tellerias knew Katrina was coming. They decided to leave their two-story town homes in Metairie, La., about 10 miles from New Orleans and near Lake Pontchartrain, on Aug. 28, the day before Katrina was to roar ashore.
Hotel reservations were made in Destin, about four hours away. The McLeods left town with thousands of others and had a safe trip. The Tellerias left two hours later, and the drive took them 16 hours.
"We struggled with leaving," said Lourdes McLeod, who has spent her entire life in the New Orleans area. "We went to the grocery store, filled the cars up with gas and said, 'We will be OK.'"
They realized that they couldn't stay.
"We probably could have went up to the second level, but then there wasn't any power, no water. With two small children, it would not have been good.
"I told my husband that he and I could sleep under a bridge if we had to, but not with the children. So, we packed up what we could."
But Lourdes McLeod agonizes each day over what she had to leave behind in their home of only four months.
"My children's pictures. Things I should have thrown in the car and I didn't," she said. "Things I had my whole life are just gone."
Lourdes McLeod's husband, Lombardo, and Mario Telleria returned to their homes days after the storm. The first floors were under water. Mold was already spreading up the walls.
"My husband was able to salvage some things for the children. He salvaged a TV," Lourdes McLeod said.
And things Lourdes used to take for granted are now what she misses the most.
"I miss my bed. I miss going to work. I miss my computer," she said.
ST. ANDREW HELP
Once the call was made to St. Andrew, officials and parish members rallied to help the families.
Office Max donated school supplies. A van also was donated for the families to use. Students raised about $2,000 and a portion of that money will go to the families.
"It's been amazing," St. Andrew Principal Peg Horan said. "Many, many items have been offered."
One child offered some of his toys. Not the ones he no longer played with, but his new, favorite toys.
"It brought tears to his parents' eyes," Horan said.
WHAT'S NEXT?
On Friday, St. Andrew found a home for the Telleria family, who had been staying in a hotel. FOS also will furnish their house.
The families don't know if they will return to their homes in Jefferson Parish, or to their jobs.
"I don't know what our long-term plan is," Lourdes McLeod said. "The last year has been pretty rough for my family," Lourdes McLeod said. "This is another test of our faith. Maybe this is where God wants us to be."