Seeking Refuge In The Mountains

By Scott Nicholson

A family of Hurricane Katrina refugees have landed on dry ground in the High Country, but they face an uncertain future.

Marianne Grubb, her 12-year-old son George, and their dog, Freckles, underwent a harrowing ordeal and a series of shelter stops before reaching Boone, where they are staying with Tudd Dean, a long-time family friend.

The Grubbs were residents of Metairie, La., which is in the metropolitan area of western New Orleans. Marianne said that they had heard of the approaching storm, and it was becoming a concern by Thursday night, Aug. 26.

The next morning, the family decided to evacuate.

They had time to pack their two dogs, a kennel, a few bags of clothes and some video games. They went to a church shelter in Hazelhurst, Miss. “We decided to hunker down and ride out the storm there,” Marianne said. “There were about 180 people there.”

She said most people were making their exodus from New Orleans on Saturday, though they waited until night so there would be less traffic. Marianne, who had lived in Metairie since 1989, said there was no real sense of panic. “We've evacuated down there so many times,” she said.

She described the atmosphere at the shelter as “controlled chaos,” and the shelter lost power when the storm came through on Monday. Then the shelter lost its water supply. “Those giving shelter became refugees of the storm themselves,” she said. “There was no fighting, and everyone was trying to help everyone else. There was a huge effort trying to keep power and water.”

The Grubbs had been traveling with friends, but the friends went to stay with family in Alabama. The Grubbs decided to leave the shelter Tuesday morning and got a hotel room in Birmingham. While unpacking, Marianne stepped off a curb, rolled her ankle, and broke her right fibula, receiving a cast. Marianne contacted her brother in Asheboro, N.C., figuring she would stay there a while.

Dean went down with Marianne's brother on Wednesday afternoon, figuring they would need two drivers since Marianne couldn't drive. Dean used to babysit Marianne and her brother and decided to help out.

The trip became even more troubled for the Grubbs. At the shelter, one of her dogs had gotten in a fight with other dogs and had suffered injuries.

Marianne took the dog to a veterinarian, but the vet was without power as well, and wasn't able to fully treat the animal. The group made a second vet visit on Thursday, but the dog died later that day.

The Grubbs arrived at the Deans' house in time for the weekend, and buried the dog there. Now they are trying to reassess their lives, figure out their next move, and learn whether they will have a home left if they are ever able to return to New Orleans.

Marianne has been looking at satellite pictures to see how hard her area was hit, but has been unable to watch the news because it's too traumatic. She said her area didn't seem to get a lot of water and many buildings in her area were probably still standing, but she doesn't know if her apartment has been looted.

She said some people would be able to return to the city this week, but then it would be closed off again. She doesn't know when she'll be able to return, and with a cast on her foot, she can't operate the clutch and gas pedal in her car.

“I think I'll be here for a couple of months,” she said. She's hoping to find a local apartment and get George enrolled in school. She also needs basic necessities to set up a household, and may even wind up staying in the area. Marianne also hopes to land a job.

She worked as an executive secretary for a stevedore and terminal operation at the port of the Mississippi River. She doesn't know how long it will take for the port to open again, though she said there's a recovery focus in order to cargo aid shipments moving on the river. She said markers and buoys will have to be replaced because the river bottom shifted.

While the Grubbs are undergoing an ordeal, she knows people who have suffered worse. She had three co-workers who lost all their possessions, and two who had homes destroyed. “People have just been scattered,” she said. “That's unusual. Thank God for family and friends to help us get our lives back together.”

Dean said the goal was to get the Grubbs “some semblance of structure” for at least the next three months. Marianne will eventually have to rebuild her life in New Orleans, since George's father and family live there. She also hopes to return to her former job. Dean is donating some furniture and clothes, but the Grubbs will need more help.

“All we have are shorts and T-shirts,” she said. “I went to the store Saturday, but all I got was a toothbrush. I can't think straight yet.”

Despite not following developments in the national news, Marianne feels the nation has responded to the tragedy with a willingness to help.

“We're just now recovering from some of the shock of this,” she said. “We had the loss of a dog, home, job, life as you knew it. We're only just beginning to start recovering ourselves, emotionally. Plans fall apart real quick.”

George misses his friends, including one who had traveled with them to the shelter. “It's been a trip from heck,” said the seventh-grader. “It's boring without school. I don't have anything to do but sit around.”

The family is grateful to have Freckles, whom Marianne rescued from a dog pound two years ago. The dog she lost had been rescued five years ago. “A dog is part of the family,” Marianne said. “When I get through this, I'm going to rescue another one.”

Anyone wanting to help the Grubbs can call Dean at 297-1307 or email mod@apptechnc.net .

The Mountain Times - September 8, 2005