It’s one of America’s great paradoxes: when Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans on August 29, 2005, it left behind a level of destruction that still brings pangs of shock and sadness. Yet no other American city I’ve visited continues to inspire more passion – even, yes, love – from its citizens.
On Katrina’s 10th anniversary, I did a series of interviews of New Orleanians who returned after the mandatory evacuation, picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and turned their passion into action, not just to rebuild the city, but to use their diverse talents to make it even better than it was. Here’s one of those stories.
Name: Sara Howard
Age: 38
Hometown: New Orleans
What I Do: Co-owner & Guide, Kayak-iti-yat, kayaking tours of New Orleans’ bayous and waterways.
My Katrina Story: I, along with my two daughters, Great Dane, cat and rabbit spent an extended “hurrication” in Austin, Tex. Austin was a great experience – terrific folks, fantastic music – but the heartache for home started around the holidays and continued to intensify. I made several weekend trips to New Orleans until I just gave in. We moved back in March, 2006.
Read the rest of the story on my Forbes Seat 1A site.