A decade ago, Amarillo opened its doors — and its arms and heartĀ — to about 100 or so refugees from down yonder, on the Gulf Coast.
They fled New Orleans after their homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Many thousands of residents were left homeless, hopeless and penniless.
Some came here, far away from the danger of storm surge, horrifying windĀ and torrential rain.
Amarillo showed what it was made of at that time, just as communities all across Texas and the nation did in lending a hand to those who were in desperate straits.
I had the pleasure of meeting one of them, thanks to some help I got from the city’s public health department, which then was led by Matt Richardson, who’s since moved on.
Her name is Emma.
Ten years ago, this courageous mother and grandmother told me she had every intention of staying in Amarillo. She wanted to find the kind of work she was doing in The Big Easy. Emma said her then-boyfriend was qualified to do a lot of odd jobs and he, too, hoped to make Amarillo his home for life.
My curiosity over her whereabouts and her well-being has been rekindled as the nation looks back at that dark time.
A great American city was inundated and nearly destroyed. It has come back — more or less. New Orleans isn’t quite as heavily populated as it was pre-Katrina. But much of it has been rebuilt. Many folks have returned to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
I’m wondering, though, about Emma.
I hope to find her soon and get caught up on how she’s fared in the past decade on the High Plains.