Buras will always be a special place for me because family and close friends in the area once promised a young girl that her abusive biological father would not follow her there or hurt her with his abusive nature ever again. Those friends and family made and kept their promise. The entire time I lived in Buras I felt safe. My bio father never came after us there.

The people of Buras and the surrounding areas are terrific people. Those who survived and those who died during Katrina will never be forgotten. All the memories of the Orange Festivals held at Fort Jackson and life on the houseboat where we lived across from the Fort are tucked away in a special place in my heart as are the numerous excursions into the city of New Orleans where my cousins and I ran up and down the streets of the French Quarter and spent time on Bourbon Street enjoying great food, great friends, and excellent music.

I am including a picture a sweet woman online sent me following Katrina when I was trying to find any information about my former home. The Fort was underwater as was everything in the area. My heart aches even now because so many good people did not survive. I am grateful for those who did but will keep those who did not in my thoughts. I was thankful to hear Mardi Gras went on as planned even following such a horrible event as Katrina. Louisiana would not be the same without the Orange Festival, Mardi Gras, or the Saints!