'It's hard': Edgard residents try to rebuild following Hurricane Ida

AN EDGAR ON THE WEST BANK OF SAINT JOHN PARISH. IT’SNE O OF MYAN SMALL TOWNS WITHIN THE RIVER PARISH. ESU SHAY O’CONN JOROINS US FROM EDGARD AS THE TITANIC COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO PULL TOGETHER TO LIFT EACH OTHER UP SHAY. THAT’S VERY SILLY. WE’RE ACTUALLY HERE OFF OF RIVER ROAD WHERE I MEAN THE DAMAGE HERE AT THIS HOME COMPLETELY UNDENIABLE. I’M JUST GONNA TAKE A STEP OUT OF THE WAYO S TTHA YOU CAN SEE IT A TOTAL LOSS THE OWNERS HERE SAY THAT TYHE BELIEVE A TORNADO HIT THIS AREA DURING THE STORM, BUT THANKFULLY THEY HAD ACEVUATED STILL TO COME BACK TO THIS. THEY WERE NOT PREPARED. OH MY GOD, I WAS DEVASTATED. I WAS DEVASTATED IT WAS LIKE THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING. MICHELLE. THOMASAS H BEEN LIVING IN EDGARD HER WHOLE LIFE AND AT THIS HOME FOR MOREHA T 2DA0-Y THOMAS WAS OUT TRYING TO SALVAGE WHICH SHE COULD IT’S TOTALED. I DO HAVE SOME THINGS STILL IN THERE THAT WE JUST COULDN’T GET TO BECAUSE WE DIDN’T HAVE THE HELP. YOU CAN BARELY JUST WALK IN THERE AND WALK AROUND YOU’RE GONNA IS THE BREEZE AND FELL ALL IN THERE. IT’S A MESS. BUT THIS ISN’T CRUCL'I’S ONLY LOSS JUST IS AFTER IDA HIT WOULD HAVE MADE A YEAR SINCE HER DAUGHTER DIED IN THE SAME HOME DUE T COOMPLICATIONS WITH LUPUS RFO SHE AND HER HUSBAND. IT’S ALL A LOT TO TAKEN I SOMETIME. I COME HERE. IT’S AND I THINK ABOUT HER AND IT’S LIKE I HAVE TO GO AND SIT IN MY VEHLEIC FOR A WHILE AND JUST GET MYSELF BACK TOGETHER. IT'’ HARD AOT L OF RESIDENTS IN THE SMALL TOWN SAY IT’S BEEN. HARD FDOO TOILETRSIE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST WE WTAN THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT. IT’S OKAY TO CRY. IT’S OKAY TO LEOS SLEEP AT NIGHT. IT'’ OKAY TO HAVE SOME PANIC ATTACKS, BUT THERE IS HELP AS A WAY OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER SOMETHING THE AREA KNOWS A LOT ABTOU AND HER SUFFERED DAMAGE TO HER HOME AND BUSINESS AND WALLE,AC BUT SAYS IT FEELS GOOD TO GIVE LITERALLY BRINGS IT HOME TO SEE THE NEED AND ALSO TO FEEL IT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT YOU KNOW, IT GIVES ME AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO CONTINUE FIGHTING FOR MY COMMUNITY. AND FOR OTHERSHO W CALL EDGAR HOME, THEY WILL REBUILD KRISHELLE SAYS DPIESTE IT ALL SHE’S THANKFUL FOR THE SUPPORT FROM NEIGHBORS EVER BEEN IN AND SO GOOD TO US AND I JUST HOPE THAT WEAN C KEEP THIS UP EVERYBODY HELPING. BECAUSE THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. NOW ONE THING CHRIS SHELL TALKS ABOUT HOW HARD IT IS TO GET HELP FROM HER INSURANCE COMPANY. THAT’S SOMETHING A LOT OF PEOPLE BACK HERE. SAY IS A REAL CHALLENGE FOR THEM. NOW. CHSHRIELLE SAYS WITHOUT ALL OF THIS CLEANED UP. IT’S ESSENTIALLY HARD TO REBUILD AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE PROGRESS HERE IN THE TOWN OF EDGAR AND GET BACK TO YOU, BUTOR F

Krischell Thomas has been living in Edgard her whole life and in her home for more than 20 years. She evacuated for Hurricane Ida. She returned to a home completely ripped apart at the seams. The roof on the front yard. "OMG I was devastated. I was devastated. I was like, this can't be happening," said Thomas. Thursday Thomas and her husband were out trying to salvage what they could from the home. Thomas said, "It is totaled. I do have some things in there we could not get to because we did not have the help. You can barely walk in and around. Debris is everywhere. It is a mess."This is not Krischell's only loss. Just days after Ida hit would have made a year since her daughter died in the same home due to complications with lupus. For the Thomas', it is a lot to take in. "Sometimes I come here and think about her. And have to sit in my vehicle and get myself together. It is hard," Thomas said. A lot of residents in the small town said it has been hard rebuilding. Just up the street, a community event offered hot food, toiletries and mental health services for those who need it most. Reshonn Saul, the organizer of the event said, "We want them to understand it is OK to cry. It is OK to lose sleep at night. It is OK to have panic attacks, but there is help."As a way of bringing people together, something the area knows a lot about, Jo Banner with the Descendant's Project was helping at the event. She suffered damage to her home and business in Wallace but said it felt good to give. "Literally brings it home to see the need and feel it at the same time. But it gives me encouragement to keep fighting for my community," Banner said.For others who call Edgard home, they will rebuild. Thomas said despite it all, she is thankful for the support from neighbors. "Everyone has been so kind to us. I just hope we can keep this up. Everyone helping everyone because that makes a difference," Thomas said.

Krischell Thomas has been living in Edgard her whole life and in her home for more than 20 years.

She evacuated for Hurricane Ida. She returned to a home completely ripped apart at the seams. The roof on the front yard.

"OMG I was devastated. I was devastated. I was like, this can't be happening," said Thomas.

Thursday Thomas and her husband were out trying to salvage what they could from the home.

Thomas said, "It is totaled. I do have some things in there we could not get to because we did not have the help. You can barely walk in and around. Debris is everywhere. It is a mess."

This is not Krischell's only loss. Just days after Ida hit would have made a year since her daughter died in the same home due to complications with lupus. For the Thomas', it is a lot to take in.

"Sometimes I come here and think about her. And have to sit in my vehicle and get myself together. It is hard," Thomas said.

A lot of residents in the small town said it has been hard rebuilding.

Just up the street, a community event offered hot food, toiletries and mental health services for those who need it most.

Reshonn Saul, the organizer of the event said, "We want them to understand it is OK to cry. It is OK to lose sleep at night. It is OK to have panic attacks, but there is help."

As a way of bringing people together, something the area knows a lot about, Jo Banner with the Descendant's Project was helping at the event. She suffered damage to her home and business in Wallace but said it felt good to give.

"Literally brings it home to see the need and feel it at the same time. But it gives me encouragement to keep fighting for my community," Banner said.

For others who call Edgard home, they will rebuild. Thomas said despite it all, she is thankful for the support from neighbors.

"Everyone has been so kind to us. I just hope we can keep this up. Everyone helping everyone because that makes a difference," Thomas said.

'It's hard': Edgard residents try to rebuild following Hurricane Ida

'It's hard': Edgard residents try to rebuild following Hurricane Ida

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