Hurricane Laura has done its damage to the Louisiana coast.

Truth be told, the place that felt the storm’s full wrath is near to my heart. I hate to think of what likely has happened to Holly Beach.

The Cameron Parish resort used to be one of the best-kept secrets along the Gulf Coast. My wife and I would visit Holly Beach on occasion during the nearly 11 years we lived in Beaumont. We found it the first time almost by accident. We drove south to Port Arthur, hung a left, drove over the gaping mouth of the Sabine River and found Holly Beach sitting on the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Hurricane Rita, which stormed ashore in 2005, did a serious number on Holly Beach. I understand that it came back after Rita’s destruction. Now it might be gone, maybe forever, according to state emergency management officials.

One story about Holly Beach comes to mind.

It was a blistering, hot day in Beaumont one summer. I was working in our yard. I finally had enough of the heat. I told my wife I wanted to go to the beach, to jump into the sea water. We threw some beach accessories into our car and drove to Holly Beach. We drove onto the beach. We out of the car and ran into the water … which was about 95 degrees! The punchline? We didn’t get any sort of relief from the 100-degree heat.

But we stayed. We swam in the Gulf. We had a blast.

The storm has exited the Gulf Coast. It is still bringing rain far inland. The damage it has done to Holly Beach? I fear it’s permanent.

It saddens me terribly.