Saturday, January 10, 2009

The Old Man and the Storm

I recently watched "The Old Man and the Storm" on Frontline. I think it did a fantastic job capturing the frustration people in New Orleans feel now 3 1/2 years after the levees failed. It's a hard story to cover, we hear about it quite infrequently in the news these days, and trust me when I say that people who live here suffer from Katrina fatigue more than anyone. Not a day goes by without thinking about those days, and the documentary tells the incredible story of Herbert Gettridge and his family. Rebuilding was tough for me, but I had money for contractors and was in my 40's. Gettridge is in his 80's, and moreover he lives in the 9th ward, perhaps the hardest hit neighborhood. He was trying to get the house ready for his wife to return, so they could live there for their "golden years." Thanks to June Cross for making this amazing documentary. If you would like to see how difficult it is to rebuild, mostly because of an inept federal, state, and local government, you should see it. You can watch it online here.

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