Lost in Katrina (Hurricane) - Tapa dura

"Mike Scaefer powerfully captures the experiences of those who by sheer will survived the worst storm in America's history. Lost in Katrina is about real people facing death. It is about unbelievable courage. And it is about the amazing heart of the people of St. Bernard."
--Angela Hill, WWL-TV anchor, New Orleans

"Mike Schaefer listens. And because he listens so well, we get to hear the real stories of Katrina and St. Bernard Parish. I've seen the aftermath there with my own eyes and thought what must it have been like when the storm hit, when the floods came? Now we know. And what a story."
--Harry Smith, CBS News

"Lost in Katrina tells the untold stories of what was lost and what was learned during Katrina, and it puts a face and a heart to many of the heroes. To all who wish to remember Katrina, Lost in Katrina is a must-read."
--Byron Pitts, CBS News correspondent

Catastrophic. Devastating. Deadly. These words describe Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst storms in recorded history to strike the United States. Situated southeast of New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish received the full force of the hurricane. Tidal surges destroyed the levees and unleashed devastating amounts of water into the parish. Here, firsthand accounts of survival narrate the darkest days of Katrina.

With the house breaking apart around him, the man known as "Charlo" feverishly duct-taped his driver's license to one leg and his Sam's Club membership card to another so that his wife would be able to identify his body.

Gene Alonzo tells the story of a familial love that carried him and his brother, Carlos, who suffered a debilitating brain injury sixteen years prior, through the worst of the storm.

St. Bernard fire captain Steve Gallodoro, one of the first people to reach St. Rita's Nursing Home where thirty-five residents drowned, details the horrid scene he came upon and describes the moment he learned that his father was among those who did not survive. Still, he heroically found the strength to carry on with his duties and serve the residents who so desperately needed his help.

Stranded by nature's fury, this little-known community banded together to survive unimaginable conditions. While the storm swept away precious memories and structures generations old, pride and perseverance emerged. This is the story of St. Bernard Parish, affectionately known to its residents as "da Parish."