Katrina survivor walks to saftey

[ginshun]

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif][font=Arial,Helvetica][size=+1]Evacuee got to Baton Rouge on his own 2 feet[/font]

[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica][size=-2]The Associated Press
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BATON ROUGE — While tens of thousands of Hurricane Katrina survivors were in New Orleans waiting for help, George Stewart, an ex-Marine, said he set out on his own.

Before Katrina slammed New Orleans, his wife, Joyce, 55, and her sister Jennifer Larche, 54, fled the storm. But Stewart, 57, who waited until he could wait no more, walked from New Orleans to Baton Rouge — approximately 85 miles — on La. Highway 61 South, better known as Airline Highway.

"I had rode out storms before, but you couldn't ride this boy out," he said. "I put left in front of right and thank God I made it," Stewart said. "I had to make it, it wasn't no option. My instinct kicked in from military experience. It told me when you're in enemy territory, you keep moving until you feel safe."

During his military days in Vietnam, Stewart was equipped with gear camouflaged to throw off the enemy. But Hurricane Katrina had him wearing a different uniform. He weathered the storm wearing a pair of wind pants, a scruffy T-shirt and cross-training sneakers loaded with multiple pairs of socks.

"I didn't feel safe there," Stewart said. "It had too many people to die out there. If it wasn't for my military experience, I wouldn't have made it."

He said he walked through knee-deep filthy water as he left his home in the 7th Ward. All he had was $15, the clothes on his back and a backpack with a similar ensemble of what he was wearing.

Along the way he said he picked up three rides, shaving off only about 20 miles of his journey. He said a good Samaritan gave him one ride and he received the other two from police officers.

Two days later, he was at Southern University.

When he arrived, Stewart, a Southern alumnus, sought help from an old professor, Dr. Raymond Lockett, chair of the history department.

"He looked like he was tired because he was sleeping on the streets," Lockett said. "He didn't know where he was staying. He thought he was going to be staying on the streets."

Stewart had friends in Shreveport, so Lockett took him to the bus station, but routes were canceled. Then they tried getting a flight out of Metro Airport, but tickets were at least $500 and as high as $650. Furthermore, he would have to fly all the way to Atlanta and then back to Shreveport.

After Lockett made a few calls, Stewart was welcomed at the Wesley Methodist Center near campus.

As he sat at the center, the reality of the storm's devastation brought tears to Stewart's eyes.

"This has shook me more than Vietnam," he said. "Because my family's close to this thing. In 'Nam, it was just me."

More than 30 years later, Stewart is alone again. But he hopes not for long. He wants to find his wife and sister-in-law. As far as he knows, they could both be as close as Baton Rouge or as far as Atlanta.

Stewart does not want to make anything of his journey. He said, right now his biggest need is money.

"One hundred dollars can carry me for a month," he said. "I eat once a day, military style."

And all this time I thought it was impossible for people to evacuate because they were poor. Huh.
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[Tgace]

Gung Ho!!

 

[TonyM.]

Wow! Smart guy. Glad he made it.

 

[arnisador]

Great story!

 

[CrankyDragon]

Gung Ho, Gung Ho! Only $15 and hes 50+ years old. So.. this begs the question, why so many left behind?

 

[heretic888]

And all this time I thought it was impossible for people to evacuate because they were poor. Huh.

I'm not sure I understand your implication here...

Are you actually suggesting a majority of the impoverished population of New Orleans consisted of battle-hardened, ex-Marine, Vietnam vets??

Because, from what I read from the article, that was the sole reason this man was capable of doing what he did. He is hardly a common sample from the normal populace.

Laterz. :asian:

 

[Flatlander]

It's interesting to me that people would rather sit tight and accept their fate than take action. More concerned with protecting their "stuff" than their health or lives, perhaps. I also find it an interesting suggestion that the quality of having the intitiative to walk out of danger is an uncommon one. I mean, perhaps it is, given the hoardes of people who chose to sit tight, but, gee, I'd have thought that people had more common sense than that.

 

[CrankyDragon]

I'm not sure I understand your implication here...

Are you actually suggesting a majority of the impoverished population of New Orleans consisted of battle-hardened, ex-Marine, Vietnam vets??

Because, from what I read from the article, that was the sole reason this man was capable of doing what he did. He is hardly a common sample from the normal populace.

Laterz. :asian:

Understand, and not to be argumentitive, we also have to realize, this man was in his 50's. Vietnam was almost 38 years ago, therefore whatever conditioning he had physically at that time would now be a mute point. I think the bottom line was determination rather than ability. He did it because he set his mind to it. That I what I am reading as the bottom line.

Andrew

 

[michaeledward]

For what it's worth ....

... And if I am wrong with this, I will be glad to hear alternative theories.

Most survival training would counsel any stranded traveler to stay put and conserve their resources, especially if the odds are in favor or a search team being dispatched.

As I recall, the only time a stranded person should travel is if there is no chance of a search team being dispatched.

What were the expectations concerning search teams in the coastal states?

 

[CrankyDragon]

For what it's worth ....

... And if I am wrong with this, I will be glad to hear alternative theories.

Most survival training would counsel any stranded traveler to stay put and conserve their resources, especially if the odds are in favor or a search team being dispatched.

As I recall, the only time a stranded person should travel is if there is no chance of a search team being dispatched.

What were the expectations concerning search teams in the coastal states?

You got your theory right, but wrong application. This is applicable for wilderness search and rescue, not for impending natural disaster with means of escape by way of advance notice. I used to dabble in SAR as a victim in there exercies. The pay sucked (volunteer) but they fed me pizza in the exercise review (Military knows this as an AAR).

Andrew

 

[michaeledward]

Re-reading the article, I am not sure that I do have the timeline wrong.

It seems that it took Mr. Stewart two days to make the journey. But those two days apparently did not begin until after the hurricane hit.

"He walked through knee-deep filthy water as he left his home"
​

The claim that this occured while Hurricane Katrina was 'impending', or his escape was 'advance notice' is incorrect.

 

[Tgace]

Still got out on his own. I always thought self sufficiency was the American ideal.

 

[MisterMike]

I think the story simply implied he had 2 legs and could walk upright like most other inhabitants of NO.

 

[arnisador]

Still got out on his own. I always thought self sufficiency was the American ideal.

Yup. This is agreat story in many ways.

But then, helping those in need is also an American virtue!

 

[RandomPhantom700]

His military experienced help him decide to avoid a storm? Now maybe I'm missing something from never having served, but, the hell?

Anyway, kudos to him for putting left in front of right. Personally, I'd have taken the car.

 

[ginshun]

I'm not sure I understand your implication here...

Are you actually suggesting a majority of the impoverished population of New Orleans consisted of battle-hardened, ex-Marine, Vietnam vets??

Because, from what I read from the article, that was the sole reason this man was capable of doing what he did. He is hardly a common sample from the normal populace.

Laterz. :asian:

No, not that they are battle hardened, ex-marine, Vietnam vets, just that they have the ability to walk.

As far as that being the sole reason that he was capable of doing what he did, I have major issue with that being the case. I am not a battle hardened, ex-marine, Vietnam vet, and niether are you, but I'd be willing to bet that either of us could walk 80 miles over the course of a few days.

As far as him not beinga common sample of the NO populace, well that is obvious. I don't however think that physical prowess is what set him apart from the majority.

 

[heretic888]

Honestly?

There could be a lot of reasons why some of the residents didn't leave the city.

Some are physically incapable, such as the elderly and the disabled. Some are reluctant to leave their family pets behind, knowing full well that the refuge centers and most hotels won't allow them, and that leaving them there almost assures certain death (most likely by drowning or starvation). Some might be afraid to leave, because of the roaming gangs and looters.

And, yes, some might just be complete idiots obsessed with their material belongings.

In any event, sweeping generalizations (a common tactic employed by ideological extremists of both persuasion) are almost certainly inaccurate ways to approach this situation.

Personally, I blame God. I mean, this hurricane was his "act", right?

Laterz.

 

[Sapper6]

i think the guy walked out on his own out of intestinal fortitude. he didn't just sit around and wait for someone to bail his *** out of trouble. he took responsibility for his own health and welfare. granted, not everybody would have been capable of doing this on their own, but i personally feel alot more people should have.

 

[sgtmac_46]

I'm not sure I understand your implication here...

Are you actually suggesting a majority of the impoverished population of New Orleans consisted of battle-hardened, ex-Marine, Vietnam vets??

Because, from what I read from the article, that was the sole reason this man was capable of doing what he did. He is hardly a common sample from the normal populace.

Laterz. :asian:

Must have been battle-hardened, no normal human being could walk down a paved highway. That combat experience must have allowed him to land navigate using highway signs. Without that training, he'd have been lost. And considering Vietnam ended 30 years ago, and this guy was 55 years old, i'm glad he had that conditioning in the Vietnam era to help him weather that trek.

Honestly?

There could be a lot of reasons why some of the residents didn't leave the city.

Some are physically incapable, such as the elderly and the disabled. Some are reluctant to leave their family pets behind, knowing full well that the refuge centers and most hotels won't allow them, and that leaving them there almost assures certain death (most likely by drowning or starvation). Some might be afraid to leave, because of the roaming gangs and looters.

And, yes, some might just be complete idiots obsessed with their material belongings.

In any event, sweeping generalizations (a common tactic employed by ideological extremists of both persuasion) are almost certainly inaccurate ways to approach this situation.

Personally, I blame God. I mean, this hurricane was his "act", right?

Laterz.

Personally, I blame the victim mentality that says, if we wait long enough, someone else will do the heavy lifting for us. We just need to sit tight and act like victims.

 

[heretic888]

Personally, I blame the victim mentality that says, if we wait long enough, someone else will do the heavy lifting for us. We just need to sit tight and act like victims.

Like I said, always one or the other, isn't it?