Hurricane Katrina and My Journey to Columbus

Last updated on: August 28, 2015 at 8:00 am by Josh Daffern

Hurricane Katrina and My Journey to Columbus 2015-08-28T08:00:14-06:00 Josh Daffern

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I can’t believe it’s been ten years. Hurricane Katrina, a life-defining event for almost everyone in the Deep South, displaced and shifted the lives of millions of people, my family included. It was shortly after Hurricane Katrina that Robin and I moved from Picayune to Jackson, MS. But in God’s sovereignty (and I believe divine sense of humor), Katrina also prepared us for Columbus.

The day before Katrina hit, I remember waking up Saturday to mow my lawn. Katrina had been in the Gulf a few days, but no one knew where she was ultimately headed or how strong she would be. My pastor and I briefly touched base about whether to have worship services the next day or not. Katrina at this point was just a nuisance.

Between morning and noon that day before, we found out where Katrina was headed. Katrina strengthen to a Category 5 and abruptly turned north. She was done meandering in the Gulf was ready to make landfall. The target: New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I came into the house after mowing the lawn and the tone from the media had completely changed. We were told to evacuate. Katrina had strengthened into a once-in-a-generation storm. Picayune is located 45 minutes north of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. We were directly in her path. (Ultimately, the eye of Katrina passed over Picayune as a Category 2 hurricane, causing minor to major damage and wiping out power for a month).

So with less than 24 hours to evacuate, my family along with millions of others were forced to scramble and try to find a hotel to stay in. An hour north, nothing available. Two hours north, three hours north, all booked. The closest I could find a hotel open was three and a half hours north. The Quality Inn located in you guessed it, Columbus MS. On Highway 45 right next to the Leigh Mall, we stayed there for four days while waiting for permission to return to our homes.

I don’t remember much about my few days in Columbus. We were glued to the tv set like everyone else, watching horrifying images come out of the chaos in New Orleans. But I do remember walking around Leigh Mall thinking to myself, “I would never end up here.” Ha!

Ten years later, I’m closing in on my fourth year here in Columbus. This is the place my family calls home, where my youngest two children were born, where are nearest and dearest friends are. It’s crazy to think this whole journey began ten years ago. Happy Anniversary!

p.s. If Robin and I knew that God was going to move us to wherever we evacuated from Katrina, we probably would have sprung for tickets to Cancun or Tahiti, but live and learn I guess 🙂

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