HURRICANE KATRINA – Eye of the Storm Part IV

The epic conclusion to the Eye of the Storm saga.

As Hurricane Katrina unleashes its full fury on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hunter Steele, Tina, and a small group of determined hospital staff and volunteers find themselves facing impossible challenges in a desperate fight for survival.

With floodwaters rising, communication cut off, and chaos spreading throughout the region, ordinary people are called upon to display extraordinary courage. Inside one of the last functioning hospitals on the Gulf Coast, faith, sacrifice, perseverance, and hope become lifelines as the storm changes countless lives forever.

Inspired by true events, HURRICANE KATRINA is a powerful story of survival, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit during one of the most devastating natural disasters in American history.

From dramatic rescues and heartbreaking losses to moments of unexpected heroism and compassion, this unforgettable finale brings the Eye of the Storm series to a moving and emotional conclusion.

Thank you for joining us on this journey.

If you enjoy Storytime by Papa D, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves powerful stories of courage, faith, and hope.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Tonight on Eye of the Storm. Hurricane Katrina changed the Gulf Coast forever. Entire communities disappeared beneath the water. Families were separated. Hospitals became islands surrounded by chaos. Ordinary people were forced to make impossible choices. Some fought to survive, some fought to save others. Sounded like a mistake. Based on true events, Eye of the Storm reaches its unforgettable conclusion and witnessed the courage, the sacrifice, the rescues, the survival, and the unexpected love story that emerged from one of America's greatest disasters. Storytime by Papa D presents Eye of the Storm, Hurricane Katrina, the epic finale. Tonight's episode is Hurricane Katrina Part 4 and the grand finale of the Eye of the Storm series. If you haven't seen the first three episodes, I encourage you to go back and start with part one, the policy. You'll get more of the backstory and a better understanding of the people and events that led to tonight's conclusion. But if this is your first time joining us, that's okay too. We won't make you leave. You can still enjoy tonight's story on its own. Now let's get the party started. Previously on The Eye of the Storm, Tina survived an apartment fire that investigators later believed was no accident. She survived a horrific automobile crash after someone had cut her brake line on her vehicle. In both cases, Tina and her baby were the intended victims. Behind it all is Peter Boyet, Tina's ex and father of her child. A con man, a fugitive, and a man accused of manipulating and exploiting the people close to him. As Tina fought to rebuild her life, she discovered shocking allegations about Peter's past, including accusations that he attempted to have an elderly wife murdered for financial gain. Now Tina finds herself back in the hospital once again, this time battling a dangerous infection that has spread throughout her bloodstream. Was Peter finished causing trouble? Or was the worst yet to come? The massive hurricane is bearing down on the Gulf Coast. The warnings have been issued. The storm is growing stronger. And before it's over, countless lives will be changed forever. Meanwhile, Coast Guard Lieutenant Hunter Steele has literally missed the boat, his last opportunity to evacuate, leaving him as the only law enforcement officer remaining in the city of Pascagoula during the greatest storm in the history of America. His orders to do whatever he deems prudent. Tonight, the journey reaches its dramatic conclusion. This is Hurricane Katrina. Good evening friends. I'm Papa D. Welcome to Storytime by Papa D. The stories you are about to hear are inspired by real life, real people, real experiences, and sometimes pure imagination. Some names, locations, conversations, and details have been changed, both to protect the privacy of real people and allow the stories themselves to unfold in the best possible way. Some parts are remembered exactly as they happen, some parts are reimagined through the lens of storytelling, and some parts belong only to the storyteller. But whether the stories come from truth, memory, history, mystery, adventure, or imagination, each one has something worth discovering. So settle in, relax, and welcome to the world of story time by Papa D. Tonight's story comes from my book, Starley's Legacy, Tragedy to Triumph. It's available on Amazon and through booksellers everywhere. Meteorologists tracked the storm hour by hour. Emergency officials issued warning after warning. Now there was nothing left to do but to endure whatever was coming. Thousands had already fled. Highways were empty. Gas stations were empty. Store shelves had been stripped bare, entire neighborhoods stood abandoned. But not everyone could leave. Inside a Singin River hospital, doctors, nurses, patients, and emergency workers prepared to ride out the storm together.

SPEAKER_02 6:20

How was it last night? Anything exciting happened?

SPEAKER_03 6:23

No, all was quiet on the Western Front, but the lights haven't gone out yet. When they do, wild, wild west. I think we can survive that long without you. Just be home before dark. That's when the zombies come out.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

I sure am glad that my GPS still works. And I hope Tina isn't as stubborn as her dad. Why am I talking to myself? Your daughter Tina asked me to check in on you? She is in the hospital, as you know, and I have been quartered there for the time being.

SPEAKER_12 7:36

That is very nice of you, but I am all right.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Sir, with all due respect, your home is on the verge of flooding. You're more than welcome to ride out the rest of the storm at the hospital.

SPEAKER_12 7:48

I don't think the water is going to get much higher. I stayed here throughout Hurricane Camille and never got any water in this house, so I think that I will stay. Tell Tina not to worry about me.

SPEAKER_02 8:02

Okay, but would you at least write my number down and call me if the water rises enough to enter your house?

SPEAKER_12 8:09

Of course.

SPEAKER_01 8:21

Along the way on his return trip to the hospital, Hunter noticed a man standing on the front porch of his house. So he stopped and asked the man if he would like to ride out the storm at the hospital. The man said sure he would, and uh but then Hunter noticed that the man had a really nice metal fishing boat on a trailer in his yard.

SPEAKER_02 8:46

That's a nice bass boat. Do you fish often?

SPEAKER_07 8:49

Yep, as often as I can. I retired, so I have more time now.

SPEAKER_02 8:55

I have a favor to ask of you, Mr. Krebs.

SPEAKER_07 8:57

Shoot, let's hear it.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

If push comes to shove and I need a boat to rescue somebody, may I borrow your boat? I can guarantee that if anything happens to it, the Coast Guard will replace it.

SPEAKER_08 9:10

Sure you can. I could use a new boat. Let me go get the key.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

If you don't mind, I would like to tow it to the hospital with us. Put it in the parking garage out of the weather. That way I can get to it better if we need it. It will be safer there anyway.

SPEAKER_08 9:25

I'm in favor of that idea. Give me a minute.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

As Hurricane Katrina continued to pound the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Hunter made his way back through the hospital corridors. The storm outside seemed stronger than ever, but inside room 414, something had changed. Tina showered and changed clothes, her hair was neatly brushed, and a touch of makeup had brought the color back to her face. For the first time since arriving at the hospital, she looked less like a victim and more like someone beginning to regain control of her life. Hunter smiled when he saw her. Unfortunately, the news he carried wasn't going to improve her mood. And you know how women's moods can be.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Good news, I found your dad, and he's okay. And the bad news? He refuses to leave his house.

SPEAKER_11 10:22

Oh my god, he is so stubborn. There is absolutely no reason for him to stay there when he could be here. He drives me crazy. I'm calling him right now.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

Okay, I'll give you some privacy.

SPEAKER_11 10:37

No, wait. You can stay.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

Are you sure?

SPEAKER_11 10:42

Yes, I'd like for you to stay. If you don't have somewhere else to be.

SPEAKER_02 10:46

No, there is no place that I would rather be right now.

SPEAKER_01 10:50

Neither of them realized that the conversation that followed would last for hours. Outside, Katrina continued her relentless assault on the Gulf Coast. But inside, Tina told Hunter all about her life, her struggles, and even her relationship with Jamie's father. This was surprising because Tina wasn't an open person. Quite frankly, she didn't want anybody to know about Jamie's father. Yet somehow she felt comfortable enough to open up and tell Hunter everything. The whole story. They even watched Daylight together, the episode about Peter marrying the elderly woman while carrying on a relationship with a young girl. And according to prosecutors, Peter convinced the younger girl or woman to murder his elderly wife. Now Peter was a fugitive from the law. More importantly, Tina and Hunter began to get acquainted, possibly even beginning to bond. When Janice stopped by later that evening, she was pleased to see Tina smiling and talking, obviously happy. For the first time since the apartment fire, Tina didn't seem quite so alone. Meanwhile, at Paul's house, the water kept getting higher and higher. By the time Tina called to check on him, flood water had spread throughout his home. Electricity had already failed, and the city was beginning to disappear into darkness. Paul moved a chair on top of his dining room table and was doing his best to stay above the rising water. With plywood covering the windows, there was very little daylight that could enter into the house. For the moment, the glow from his cell phone and a few candles were the only sources of light.

SPEAKER_11 12:48

Dad, are you okay?

SPEAKER_12 12:50

Yes, I'm fine.

SPEAKER_11 12:52

Why don't I believe you? How much water do you have now?

SPEAKER_12 12:55

About a foot. Maybe a little more.

SPEAKER_11 12:58

Dad, you should have come to the hospital.

SPEAKER_12 13:01

And leave all this behind? Somebody might steal my tools.

SPEAKER_11 13:05

I'm serious.

SPEAKER_12 13:07

I know you are.

SPEAKER_11 13:08

You don't sound worried.

SPEAKER_12 13:10

Being worried won't lower the water.

SPEAKER_11 13:13

Do you at least have some light?

SPEAKER_12 13:15

I've got candles and battery lights.

SPEAKER_11 13:18

Promise me you'll be careful.

SPEAKER_12 13:20

I promise. Don't worry about me. You just take care of yourself.

SPEAKER_11 13:25

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 13:26

It's time for me to convince your dad to abandon his house and come here to the hospital.

SPEAKER_11 13:31

Yes, it is. But it won't be easy. He is determined that he is going to stay there and protect his home from looters, as if his tools are so valuable.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

So that's the real reason that he won't evacuate. I will assure him that I will make patrols to keep his house safe.

SPEAKER_01 13:47

Suddenly the hospital began to shake. At first it was subtle, but then came a sound that I'll never forget. It sounded like a freight train. Barrel and correctly. Either one of them could be out. The roof and the ceiling above Tina's room was ripped away completely. Glass exploded inward. Rain from the sky and owl through the room. Instinctively, Hunter threw himself across Tina's body, shielding her from the flying debris. For several terrifying seconds, neither one of them knew whether the building would remain standing. Then just as suddenly as it had begun, the roar was gone. Hunter could feel rain striking his back. The window was gone, the ceiling was gone, the room was open to the storm. His emergency training immediately took over. Tina looked at Hunter, and she couldn't help but think about how different he was from Peter. When the danger came, Hunter hadn't hesitated. His first instinct was to protect her, not himself, her. It had been a long time since anybody besides her father had made her feel that safe. The storm still raged outside. The room around them was in shambles, but somehow, for the first time in a very long time, Tina felt secure.

SPEAKER_09 15:32

Are either of you hurt?

SPEAKER_01 15:34

Nurse Janice entered the room.

SPEAKER_11 15:37

Help me move her to the second floor.

SPEAKER_01 15:39

Hunter jumped into action and within minutes he helped Janice move patients throughout the damaged wing to safer areas of the hospital. Beds rolled through the crowded hallways. Nurses rushed from room to room. Every available space on the lower floors became temporary patient care areas. When the chaos was finally settled, Tina found herself parked in a hallway on the second floor. Only then did the reality of what had happened began to sink in.

SPEAKER_11 16:09

I can't believe that just happened.

SPEAKER_01 16:11

Neither can I.

SPEAKER_11 16:13

I can't wait to see what happens next.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

I can.

SPEAKER_01 16:18

Tina followed Hunter's gaze downward. Only then did she realize that they were holding hands. Neither of them had meant to, and neither of them seemed eager to let go. For a moment, they simply looked at one another and smiled. In the middle of a hurricane, standing inside a damaged building, both of them found something they hadn't expected to find that day.

SPEAKER_11 16:53

Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

Hunter kissed her on the cheek, and her heart monitor skipped a beat. After trying to call her dad, Hunter returned.

SPEAKER_13 17:04

No answer, but don't worry. I will go get him now.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

The first floor barely resembled a hospital anymore. Families were huddled in waiting areas, wet clothing hung over the chairs, children cried, battery-powered lanterns cast strange shadows across exhausted faces. Everywhere Hunter looked, frightened people were waiting for the new shelter or both.

SPEAKER_02 17:29

Is everything under control down here?

SPEAKER_09 17:32

For now. But I'm not gonna lie. Things are getting tense.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

What's going on?

SPEAKER_09 17:38

The flood waters are pushing more people in every hour. Most are scared, but a few are looking for trouble.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Need any help?

SPEAKER_09 17:47

Ask me again in an hour.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

In case you don't have a clear picture yet, the roof had been torn off of the top floor, so patients had to be taken to lower floors, and all the rooms were full. So now they had people in bed hospital beds lining the halls of the second floor. And the first floor had become completely full, uh, overcrowded really from people, not only just the sick people who uh weren't given a room yet, but also with locals who were using the hospital as a storm shelter, getting pretty crowded. And the staff was overworked and tired, and with that, Hunter departed the hospital to go see if he couldn't search for Paul because the waters had been getting higher and higher, and he knew Paul would be in danger by now. And he was right, things weren't going well at Paul's house at all. The water had risen to the top of his dining room table. Paul could feel the table being lifted by the water despite his entire weight holding it down. If the water were to rise another inch or so, the tabletop would be covered, and his candles, lanterns, and lunchbox would float away. It was time for him to make a move. He made a decision to flee to the attic, but first he would call his children so they would know where to tell authorities to search if they couldn't find him later. Tina's phone was lost in the melee that ensued when the hospital roof was ripped off. She didn't answer, so he called his other daughter Liz, who had already evacuated to stay with relatives in Madison, Mississippi.

SPEAKER_12 20:01

Try to get word to the other children.

SPEAKER_01 20:07

Paul stepped off into the dark water. It was a creepy feeling. Other than a little bit of light that his candles, lanterns, and the cell phone emitted, it was pitch black. The sound of the storm was deafening, the entire house shook violently, and he didn't know if he was surrounded by snakes or who knows what. But he knew he had to make it to the attic to survive. Can you imagine? A lot of things were floating in the water. Furniture, small appliances, and other things he could only imagine. The pull down staircase was in the hall on the far side of the house. He sloshed his way through the rising water, dropping most of the things he was carrying. By the time he made it to the pull down staircase, he had just a cell phone in one hand, and he still had a small ice chest he was holding in the other. To pull down the attic staircase, he had to have a free hand. So he chose to let the ice chest float for a second while he used his hand, other hand to hold on to his cell phone. Fortunately, he was able to uh save his ice chest, get the eye the and make it to the attic. He would appreciate having those sandwiches and crackers and water in that ice chest later. In the attic, he had already prepared. He anticipated this possibility. He had a lawn chair, battery-operated lanterns, flashlights, a radio, blankets, pillows, a first aid kit, and an axe just in case. Once he got situated, Paul noticed he had a missed call. He didn't recognize the number, but he hadn't saved Hunter's number on his phone, so he called the number back.

SPEAKER_02 21:49

Hello, Mr. Collins. Are you all right?

SPEAKER_12 21:52

I am fine and dandy. How is Tina?

SPEAKER_02 21:55

She feels much better, but an apparent tornado ripped a portion of the hospital's roof. Off. Rain is pouring in on the top floor. Fortunately, there were no injuries as a result. She's been moved to another floor, but she would feel better if you were there with her. I'm coming to get you.

SPEAKER_12 22:13

No, don't come. You won't be able to get to me. My house is completely flooded, and I'm in the attic now. I have food and water, blankets, and a flashlight, so I will be fine right where I am until the water recedes. Stay there and take care of my daughter.

SPEAKER_02 22:31

No can do, sir. I made a promise to your daughter, but I'm glad you told me that. I will bring a boat to get you.

SPEAKER_12 22:38

Alright, if you insist. I have an axe. I can chop my way through the roof. Be very careful. The wind is blowing very hard, the water is choppy, and there are all sorts of floating hazards. I don't want you getting hurt on my account.

SPEAKER_02 22:54

Keep your cell phone handy.

SPEAKER_06 22:56

I will text you when I am close by.

SPEAKER_04 23:08

Zombies are here. Yeah, that's right. How is everyone upstairs? Do they have that roof thing under control?

SPEAKER_02 23:16

It's a real mess. Water is still pouring in from the rain, but they've moved all the patients to the lower floors. All the rooms are occupied, so they have patients in beds lining both sides of the halls on every floor.

SPEAKER_04 23:36

Looks to me as if there's some drinking going on among some of these folks. Maybe more than drinking, if you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

Who's drinking? I will put a stop to that.

SPEAKER_04 23:47

No, don't say anything. They are still trying to hide it for the moment. Confronting them will just aggravate the situation. Besides, drinking is the least of our worries. It's the crackheads that we must worry about.

SPEAKER_02 24:02

Mr. Broussard, you remember what I showed you in the back of my trailer?

SPEAKER_04 24:06

Yes, I do.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

I want you to hold this key for me just in case you need anything from the trailer. I have somewhere that I must go for a little while, but we'll return as soon as I can.

SPEAKER_04 24:18

Where are you going in this weather? There is a hurricane blowing out there.

SPEAKER_02 24:22

I will be alright, don't worry. It's my job to rescue people during storms. I could use your help for a few minutes. Will you come with me to the trailer?

SPEAKER_06 24:31

Of course I will.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

Jerome Broussard and Hunter Steele hurried to the parking garage and began digging through the rescue trailer. Life vests, ropes, flashlights, anything that might keep a rescuer alive in what had become an inland sea. Hunter pulled Mr. Krebs' aluminum-based boat out as far as the truck could travel. Then the road disappeared beneath the water. He launched the boat into the raging flood and tied the bow to a utility pole. The wind immediately grabbed the little boat and slammed it against the current. Before leaving, Hunter moved his truck to higher ground. Then he climbed into the boat and pushed away from the shore. The city of Pascagoula was gone. Only rooftops remained. In many cases, they were gone. Entire neighborhoods had vanished beneath the storm surge. In some cases, what had once been streets, yards, and driveways now looked like a muddy ocean stretching toward the horizon. The deeper Hunter traveled into the city, the further south, the worst the destruction became. Pieces of homes drifted past. Furniture floated by, tree limbs, lumber. Someone's front porch. Evidence that the entire homes in some cases had been ripped from their foundations and carried away. Every piece of debris reminded him of one thing. Tina's father, Paul, was still out there. Hunter knew Pascagoula better than most people, but now every street sign was underwater. Every landmark was gone. Even his GPS had stopped working. The storm had erased the map. He was navigating by memory alone. The hurricane assaulted every one of his senses. Wind screamed through the trees, lightning exploded across the sky, water slammed against the metal hull, floating debris crashed into the sides of the boat. More than once Hunter wondered if the next wave might flip him over, but he bravely kept going. Finally, something looked familiar. A row of rooftops emerged from the floodwaters. Hunter began counting. One, two, three. Then he saw it. Paul's house, or what remained of it. The roof was still there, but he didn't see Paul. Hunter searched every inch of the rooftop. Nothing. No movement, no signal, no sign of life. Cell service had failed. There would be no phone call, no text message. Hunter grabbed a bullhorn and blasted a message into the storm. Then he waited. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a tiny beam of light appeared from a small hole near the edge of the roof. Paul was alive. Inside the attic, Paul grabbed his axe and began chopping. The hole grew larger with every swing. Rain blew inside. Water dripped through the opening, but he kept chopping. He was not gonna die trapped in this attic. When the hole was finally large enough, Hunter tossed him a rope. Paul reached through the opening and caught it. He secured the line to the roof to support himself inside the attic. Then he resumed chopping. Outside conditions were growing worse. Hunter crouched low in the boat to avoid being blown overboard. The roof broke some of the waves, but the wind whipped around the house from every direction. Even holding position was a battle. After several attempts, Hunter managed to get a second rope to Paul. This one held. Now they had to move safely between the roof and the boat. Paul untied the ropes from inside the attic. Then he climbed through the opening onto the roof. For the first time the two men could actually see each other. A few moments later, Paul lowered himself into the boat. He tried to thank Hunter, but the wind stole every word before he could be heard. Hunter understood anyway. Three hours after leaving the hospital, the rescue mission finally came to an end. The two exhausted men reached the protection of the hospital parking garage. For the first time in hours, they were out of the storm. But as Hunter stepped from the boat, something caught his attention. The parking garage lights were dark. The hospital had lost power. While the storm raged outside, inside the hospital, a different kind of danger had emerged. Hunter parked his truck, leaving the boat and trailer attached. He grabbed his radio.

SPEAKER_02 30:42

This is Lieutenant Steele.

SPEAKER_04 30:44

This is Broussard. Where are you, man?

SPEAKER_02 30:48

I'm in the parking garage. What's the situation?

SPEAKER_04 30:52

Oh man, all hell is broken loose. The power went out not long after you left. The first floor is completely out of control. I think some crackheads are looking for drugs.

SPEAKER_02 31:03

Are the patients in danger?

SPEAKER_04 31:05

Not right now. We've got everyone secured upstairs. We're guarding the stairwells and keeping the troublemakers from getting to the upper floors. But if they get past us.

SPEAKER_02 31:15

Do you still have the trailer key?

SPEAKER_04 31:17

Right here in my pocket.

SPEAKER_02 31:19

Did you remove anything from the trailer?

SPEAKER_04 31:21

No. Hospital policy. But you can.

SPEAKER_02 31:25

I need that key. I'm about to deputize some civilians.

SPEAKER_04 31:29

You better come through the staff entrance, the one that I showed you before. Chandra will meet you there.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

Hunter signed off and led Paul toward the staff entrance. The door that had once stood open was now locked. Hunter knocked softly. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a voice exploded from the other side.

SPEAKER_10 31:53

You better be glad that was you. I was fixing to taste somebody.

SPEAKER_02 31:59

I don't doubt it.

SPEAKER_10 32:01

I ain't taking no nonsense off these crackheads. Who's that with you?

SPEAKER_02 32:06

This is Paul. He was trapped in his house. I brought him here for shelter.

SPEAKER_10 32:10

You may not have done him any favors. You know what's happening downstairs?

SPEAKER_02 32:14

Broussard gave me a brief report.

SPEAKER_10 32:16

They're tearing the place apart looking for drugs. It's only a matter of time before they try getting upstairs.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

Hunter glanced toward the dark hallway. The situation was deteriorating faster than he had expected.

SPEAKER_02 32:32

I need a favor. Go get Broussard and bring me the trailer key.

SPEAKER_10 32:36

You got it. And if anybody tries coming through this door, you stop them.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Chandra hurried away and Hunter turned to Paul. The sounds of chaos echoed faintly through the building. For the first time since leaving the floodwaters, the danger felt close again.

SPEAKER_14 32:56

Can you handle a gun?

SPEAKER_12 32:58

Are you joking? This is Mississippi. Everybody knows how to shoot.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

That's not what I asked. Can you shoot if you have to protect your daughter?

SPEAKER_12 33:09

If somebody threatens my family, I'll do whatever I have to do.

SPEAKER_02 33:13

I hope it never comes to that. If a gun goes off in this building, things could get ugly fast.

SPEAKER_12 33:20

You have my word.

SPEAKER_02 33:36

No.

SPEAKER_12 33:37

No.

SPEAKER_02 33:39

No. But don't tell anybody else I deputize.

SPEAKER_01 33:43

After Chandra returned with the key, Hunter and Paul made repeated trips to the trailer. Rain continued pounding the hospital grounds while floodwaters churned through the darkness outside. Working quickly, they carried rifles, shotguns, ammunition, and emergency supplies into the building. Both men knew they had little time and even fewer options. When they reached the entrance, Chandra guarded, Hunter stopped and handed her a gun belt filled with a loaded sidearm and extra ammunition.

SPEAKER_11 34:21

You know hospital policy doesn't allow this.

SPEAKER_02 34:25

Hospital policy also assumes there's a police department a few minutes away.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

Neither one of them smiled.

SPEAKER_10 34:32

What happens if somebody decides to force their way in?

SPEAKER_02 34:36

Then we stop them.

SPEAKER_10 34:38

What about the police?

SPEAKER_02 34:41

I am the police.

SPEAKER_10 34:44

I forgot you're military police.

SPEAKER_02 34:46

My official orders were simple. Do whatever I deem prudent. I think it's prudent to protect the hospital's patients.

SPEAKER_10 34:54

I guess that makes you the highest ranking law enforcement officer in Jackson County right now.

SPEAKER_02 35:01

Don't be too impressed. As far as I know, I'm the only law enforcement officer who's still on the clock in Jackson County.

SPEAKER_10 35:15

If anybody asks, I never saw this.

SPEAKER_02 35:20

If anybody asks, I never gave it to you.

SPEAKER_10 35:24

Then we understand each other.

SPEAKER_01 35:26

Let's hope neither of us ever needs it. From there, Hunter moved through the hospital making the same offer to Jerome, Tony, Kelly, Kent, and the remaining members of the security team. One by one they accepted. None of them wanted responsibility. None of them expected to use the weapons, but every one of them understood the reality they faced. The governor's evacuation order had emptied Jackson County of nearly every emergency responder, that included the police. The hospital stood alone. Inside its walls were hundreds of patients, staff members, and civilians. Outside, there was no one left to call. By the end of the night, eight armed guards stood watch over the second and third floors of Jackson County's largest hospital. For the first time since Katrina made landfall, the hospital had a plan if danger came looking for them. Over the next several hours, Hunter and Paul took turns checking on Tina. The hospital remained a crowded and chaotic mess. Nurses moved constantly from patient to patient while emergency lights cast long shadows across the hot the hallways. Despite everyone's efforts, Tina's condition worsened. Hunter knelt beside her cot and gently placed his hand on her forehead. Her skin felt hot. The fever was getting worse.

SPEAKER_11 37:05

I want to thank you for saving my father. I don't know how I'll ever repay you.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

I'm sure we can think of something. Maybe you can start by going on a date with me after you're fully recovered.

SPEAKER_11 37:18

I would have gone out with you anyway.

SPEAKER_01 37:24

Hunter stood and made his way through the crowded hallway. Patients rested on cots and blankets wherever space could be found. The volunteers, nurses, and hospital staff continued working despite exhaustion. A short distance away, Janice was tending to another patient. Hunter waited until she was finished doing what she was doing before quietly getting her attention.

SPEAKER_02 37:51

Sorry to interrupt. Tina's running of fever. Could you take a look at her when you get a chance?

SPEAKER_10 37:55

Of course. I'll head over there as soon as I finish up here. I'm glad to see the two of you have hit it off.

SPEAKER_01 38:02

Hunter smiled, but he didn't say anything. He looked back at Tina's cotton. His smile quickly faded. Her fever worried him. Outside, Katrina continued to rage. Inside, Hunter could only hope they still had enough time. The situation inside Singing River Hospital continued to deteriorate. The first floor had become crowded with frightened civilians seeking shelter from the storm. Most were simply desperate people looking for safety, but not everyone had come for shelter. A growing number of troublemakers had begun causing problems throughout the building. Hospital administrators faced a difficult decision. To protect the patients, every patient in the hospital would be moved to the third floor. The second floor would be open to carefully screened civilians who needed shelter from the storm. Throughout the night, nurses, volunteers, maintenance workers, and security personnel worked together to relocate dozens of patients. Tina was moved once again. Hunter stayed close to Tina as her bed was rolled through the crowded hallways. The move exhausted everyone, but by midnight, nearly every patient in the hospital had been relocated to the third floor. No one knew it yet, but the decision may have saved lives.

SPEAKER_04 39:53

This crowd's getting bolder. I think they're planning something.

SPEAKER_14 39:58

Planning what?

SPEAKER_04 40:00

Planning on coming through this stairwell. If they rush me and get my weapon, we've got a real problem.

SPEAKER_06 40:11

I'm on my way.

SPEAKER_02 40:12

Yes, I am too.

SPEAKER_11 40:16

Hunter, do you think we're really safe up here? Those people, are they trying to come up here? Why? What are they looking for?

SPEAKER_14 40:25

They're not coming after you. You're safe here. I'll make sure of that.

SPEAKER_01 40:30

The crown forced the stairwell door open. Dozens of people packed the landing below. Some were angry. Some were frightened. Some appeared intoxicated. Others simply followed the loudest voices. Some A-beared still alone at the top of the stairs. A powerful police flashlight blinded anyone attempting to come home. Back him up. Nobody's going upstairs.

SPEAKER_04 40:55

Back him up. Remember the men? Tun around and go back to the lumber.

SPEAKER_01 41:00

By the time Hunter reached the stairwell, the situation had already escalated. The crowd grew louder. A tall, thin young man with glassy eyes stood near the front.

SPEAKER_02 41:11

They can't stop all of us. Let's go!

SPEAKER_04 41:14

Let's get up there!

SPEAKER_01 41:15

The others seemed to follow his lead.

SPEAKER_00 41:25

Then a familiar voice echoed through the stairwell. Chandra. She pushed past Hunter and Abear without hesitation.

SPEAKER_10 41:34

Y'all need to cut out this foolishness. There ain't nothing up here for you. No money, no drugs, nothing but sick people and folks trying to keep them alive.

SPEAKER_00 41:45

The crowd fell quiet. Even Hunter looked surprised.

SPEAKER_10 41:49

Y'all done lost your minds. These people are fighting a hurricane, and you're trying to fight them.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

She pointed directly at the young man leading the crowd.

SPEAKER_10 41:59

And I know you. I know your mama too. You best turn around and get out of here before I call her and tell her what you've been doing. Go on now, before you make me mad.

SPEAKER_00 42:16

To everyone's surprise, the young man turned around. Without another word, he started down the stairs. One by one, the others followed.

SPEAKER_13 42:26

That was pretty awesome. What would have happened if they hadn't turned around?

SPEAKER_10 42:31

I was gonna tell them you were SEAL Team Six.

SPEAKER_13 42:34

SEAL Team Six?

SPEAKER_10 42:36

Tip of the spear. Last thing they would have seen.

SPEAKER_02 42:40

And if they didn't believe you?

SPEAKER_10 42:42

Then I was gonna run.

SPEAKER_01 42:50

It had been a long and scary night. Tornadoes, mobs, flooding, but it seemed like it was finally over. Nice and quiet. Tina finally got some sleep. The next morning the sun was shining beautifully, the storm had passed, and the hospital was still standing. With the first light of dawn spread across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the worst of Hurricane Katrina had finally passed. The screaming winds were fading. The relentless rain had begun to ease. Across Pascagoula, survivors slowly emerged from shelters, attics, rooftops, and whatever refuge they managed to find during the longest night of their lives. At Singen River Hospital, the crisis that nearly overwhelmed the facility was finally beginning to subside. Hunter opened the door at the end of the stairwell on the first floor, which had been the protective barrier between civilization and barbarism the night before. To his surprise, it was quiet. There was no longer the sound of a chaotic mob or the sound of wind and rain. The people were scattered all over the floor. Most were sleeping, while others sat silently against walls or lay motionless on blankets and pieces of cardboard. The place was a filthy mess. Empty bottles, food containers, trash were strewn all over the corridors. The gift shop's glass windows had been shattered and looted. Hunter stepped carefully over sleeping people as he made his way toward the emergency room. He was disgusted that people who had nowhere else to go had shown so little respect for the very place that sheltered them through the storm. With the help of the security detail, hospital staff began clearing nonpatients from the critical care areas needed to reopen the emergency room. People had already begun arriving with storm-related injuries. The same stairwell that echoed with shouting only hours earlier now felt strangely hollow. The battle was over, the cleanup had begun. But outside the hospital walls, thousands of people were still facing the aftermath of Katrina. Some were trapped, some were injured, and some had survived in ways that seemed almost impossible. Now, while all that was going on at the hospital that morning, let me tell you about one fella who had a night you wouldn't believe. Norman was the kind of guy who lived for a good party. And he wasn't gonna let a little thing like a real hurricane keep him from attending a hurricane party. He slept late the next morning though, and he woke up to a pounding headache and a soaked bed. His first thought was that he'd somehow slip back into childhood bed wedding days. Then reality hit. His whole house was flooded. The flood had risen right up to the top edge of his mattress. Still in his underwear, Norman waded through the murky water and pulled back the curtains. What he saw made his stomach drop. Outside the window, the water was two feet higher than inside. The pressure on that window was enormous. One good gust or a little bit more of pressure, and it would explode, sending glass flying straight at him. He backed away fast. The wind was howling like a freight train, shaking the entire house. He knew he had to move. Norman fought his way to the front door, the one facing north, and somehow got it open without getting swept away. He gripped the door frame tight as the water inside finally equalized with the raging surge outside. Then he pulled himself through. That's when the water grabbed him. It knocked him clean off his feet and sent him shooting down the street. Sprawled out flat like an alligator. He tumbled and bounced through signs, bushes, trees, and pieces of houses until, miraculously, he slammed into the railroad tracks that run parallel to the beach. Those tracks sit about four feet higher than everything else around them and acted like an unintentional dam. The surge slowed just enough for Norman to scramble to his feet. Soaking wet and bleeding, he crossed the tracks and stumbled into the first building he saw. A laundromat. Once inside, he was sheltered from the howling wind and driving rain. The full horror of the situation started sinking in. He patched up his cut the best he could and pulled on some stranger's abandoned clothes still left in the dryer. Stepping back for a moment, he looked across the street and saw something that turned his blood cold. Coffins from a nearby funeral home floating and bobbing in the choppy waters like boats. Nope. He ducked straight back into the laundromat. I'm not going out there. Then a monstrous blast of wind hit. The huge glass picture window flexed and groaned under the pressure. Norman wasn't taking any chances. He crawled into a big front loading industrial washing machine for protection. A few other folks came in later and saw what he did, and they did the same. At first it felt smart, but through the round glass door he watched the water keep rising, rushing straight toward the giant window. Then crash, the glass exploded. A wall of water roared through the laundromat with terrifying force. For a heart-stopping moment, Norman and the others feared they'd drown right there, trapped inside of these machines. But the flood never rose high enough to feel his drum. Norman claims he rode out the entire fury of the Hurricane Katrina safe inside of an industrial washing machine.

SPEAKER_05 49:30

More storm victims coming in. Clear the path for the stretchers.

SPEAKER_13 49:34

I'll coordinate with the trauma team. This one's stable. Next.

SPEAKER_05 49:39

Let's keep the flow going. Wow, what a night that was. Looks like they're finally getting things under control.

SPEAKER_02 49:48

Good. Because there are still people out there.

SPEAKER_01 49:52

For hours, Hunter and countless others searched neighborhoods, businesses, waterways, and debris field. Every rescue felt like a small victory. Each person found alive was another reminder that miracles sometimes arrive disguised as ordinary people refusing to quit. Hunter first saw Norman walking through a debris field, dressed in clothes that didn't fit and didn't match. Norman told Hunter about the others in the laundromat. The next few hours were spent helping people like Norman get to the hospital. The city was searched, then the river, then the bay. Fortunately, there weren't bodies floating around. There were very few deaths in Pascagoula. Of course, every single one is important. Within days, the streets were cleared, and building supplies began to arrive from other parts of the state. People such as Paul began the rebuilding process. Tina returned home. Fully recovered and reunited with Jamie. She and Hunter began spending time together. Hurricanes leave scars. Some can be seen years later. Others disappear with time. But every now and then something beautiful grows from the wreckage. A family, a future, a life that may never have happened if it hadn't been for one terrible storm. And that's why I will always believe that even in the darkest hour, there is still a reason to hope. Hunter had faced many dangers. He had faced storms, he had faced angry crowds. He was fearless. Or at least he was until this day. He couldn't help but shake. Would she say yes?

SPEAKER_06 51:52

Yes!

SPEAKER_01 51:57

You may be wondering how I came to know so much about Tina, Hunter, and Jamie. The answer is simple. Before the storm, Tina's sister Liz evacuated to Madison, Mississippi, as I said earlier. Jamie came with her. They stayed in my home. Then something happened that few people know. Although Tina had survived the hurricane, her ordeal really wasn't over. The hospital was overwhelmed, so patients who appeared stable were sent home to make room for those who were even in greater danger. Tina was one of them. But she wasn't nearly as well as everyone thought. In fact, she became gravely ill. Hunter saw it immediately. Paul knew it too. When the hospital initially refused to admit her, Hunter put her in his truck and drove her up there himself. This time they listened. When Tina was finally released from the hospital the second time, I drove to the coast and brought her back to Madison so she could be reunited with Jamie while they were still restoring electricity on the coast. During those days, I heard this story directly from Tina herself. Much of what you heard in this story tonight came from those conversations. Jamie was just a little boy then. Even months later I noticed something about him. Loud noises frightened him, thunder, door slamming, anything unexpected. I don't know whether it was the car accident, the fire, the storm, or a combination of all three, but it was clear that life had not been easy for Jamie. Yet, despite everything he had endured, he remained a sweet child who simply wanted to feel safe. The wedding was held that following spring. I couldn't help but think about that frightened little boy who had slept under my roof after the hurricane. The storm was finally behind him. Family and friends gathered to celebrate a future that day. Only months earlier. That had seemed impossible. Tina looked beautiful. Jamie could hardly contain his excitement, and Hunter looked happier than I had ever seen him. When the time came for vows, Hunter pledged himself to Tina as a loving and faithful husband. But then something happened that I've never seen before, and I will never forget. Hunter turned to Jamie. He knelt down on one knee, looking the little boy directly in the eyes. He promised to love him, protect him. I had to pause because just like the day that I saw this happen live, it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. Hunter promised to protect him, guide him, and be the father he deserved. After everything Jamie had endured, the accident, the fire, the storm, the uncertainty, someone was finally promising that he would never have to face life alone again. I've witnessed many remarkable things in my life, but standing there that day watching Hunter make that promise to the little boy who had already endured more hardship than most adults ever will, I felt tears come to my eyes. They were not tears of sadness, they were tears of gratitude. Gratitude that Jamie had survived, gratitude that Tina had survived, gratitude that God sometimes writes better endings than we could ever imagine ourselves. Because sometimes after the storm has passed, what remains isn't destruction. Sometimes what remains is a new start and a family. I hope you enjoy tonight's episode of Storytime by Papa D. Hurricane Katrina, the final chapter in the Eye of the Storm series. And if you think this might make a good motion picture one day, make sure that you subscribe to this channel. I need a lot of subscribers and leave some comments. If I can show this is popular to the public, I might convince someone to make this into a movie. In any event, thank you for sharing a portion of your life with me to hear this story. Good night and God bless. Before you go, if you enjoyed tonight's story, I'd love to invite you to check out my books. From encouraging true stories to imaginative adventures like me and you and Kalamazoo, there's something there for both adults and children alike. My books are available on Amazon and can also be ordered through bookstores everywhere. Just search for Daryl Breland or Papa D to learn more. Thanks for spending a little time with me tonight. Good night, everybody.