by Ezabelle Janssen, Staff Writer
PASS CHRISTIAN (GG) — “Maybe it’s true that shared trauma brings people closer together—a common hardship, a battle to survive—because when times are quiet people relax and go their own separate ways” – Laura Wiess.
On Monday, August 25th, the Pass Christian Historical Society hosted a heartfelt luncheon at Trinity Episcopal Church in remembrance of Hurricane Katrina. Twenty years ago, on August 25, 2005, Katrina made its first landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. A small storm that came back for more.
Four days later, on August 29, 2005, the storm made a second, devastating landfall in Mississippi and Louisiana as a Category 3 hurricane, causing widespread flooding with its catastrophic impacts and forever changing the coast.
The community poured into the halls of Trinity Episcopal Church, reaching full capacity. Nearly 100 people came together to listen, honor, and celebrate. Many local figures were found in the sea of people, like past and current mayors of Pass Christian.
We are in this together, connected one way or another. Survivors came forward to share powerful, unique testimonies, showcasing the resilience and heart of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Pass Christian resident Amy Steiner survived the devastating loss of her house, driven by an unyielding will to survive. She charged through wreckage, smashing down doors and scavenging floating cans of Chef Bogarde from the waters. It’s a hauntingly strange truth—disaster forces you to confront what remains and find beauty amidst chaos.
Under the ominous night sky, where alarms blared instead of crickets, Steiner gazed with a mix of wonder and despair. Steiner even brought props, including her neighbor’s key, who quipped, “Next time, don’t kick the door in.” Despite the trauma, we can now look back and find humor.
Chief Deputy Sheriff and Pass Christian native Craig Necaise was a rookie at the time of the storm, forced to mature rapidly at twenty-one years old. Necaise and his fellow officers made their way to the stormproof library that was not so stormproof. The group ended up on the roof and watched the eye pass over with a “blue sky, flock of seagulls.”
Katrina shaped Necaise into who he is today, along with how the sheriff’s office is run, helping other officers in their time of need. Necaise resoundingly stated, “Storms do more than just destroy, they strip us down to what really matters and make us choose what we want to be when the water is gone.”
Necaise’s experience emphasizes that even in the face of destruction, storms reveal our true values and resilience. They force us to confront what matters most and shape our character.
Local residents Robin Rafferty and Elizabeth Ishee rescued a man who had been swept from his home by the raging floodwaters. As they fought to escape the chaos, they discovered his arm amidst the debris.
Dr. Chuck Wood reflects on the tumultuous days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, while city leaders Chipper McDermott, Malcolm Jones, and Joe Piernas discussed the challenging journey of restoring Pass Christian.
These inspiring people shared their hurricane horror stories, stories that symbolize the resilience of the Gulf Coast and the strong community of Pass Christian. Not everyone stayed during Hurricane Katrina, so it is interesting to hear what it was like firsthand, especially in terms of survival. Their accounts reveal incredible acts of courage, resourcefulness, and determination to endure the storm and its aftermath.
These stories serve as powerful reminders of human resilience in the face of natural disasters, highlighting the importance of community support and preparedness for future emergencies. If you missed this luncheon, the Pass Christian Historical Society will be hosting another on September 22, at noon at 201 E Scenic Drive.
(Front Photo by Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via Associated Press. Inside Photo by Ezabelle Janssen/The Gazebo Gazette).
