Today a young woman came into my life named Angelina. As we sat facing each other, I decided to break the silence and ask the typical "let's get to know each other" questions. "Angelina, do you have any kids?" Angelina smiles and says she has three boys ages 16, 15 and 5. The two older boys have autism. Then, without prompting, she quips, "Yeah, we used to live in Rockport, Texas. But the hurricane changed all that." Without asking any further questions, Angelina launches into a detailed account of her and her family's Hurricane Harvey experience.
On Sunday, August 20, Angelina receives a frantic call from her father. "Angelina, there is a storm in Gulf of Mexico. It is going to become a hurricane and is going to directly hit Rockport. Please, leave the city and go to safety!" (Angelina's father is an amateur meteorologist. He loves tracking storms and had been tracking this tropical disturbance since it was little more than a collection of clouds.) Angelina shrugs off her father's suggestion. "Dad, the storm is just a storm. If it hits Rockport, it will just be some rain. We can handle rain." Angelina talks a little bit longer with her father and then hangs up.
On Tuesday, Angelina receives a frantic phone call from her mother. "Please Angelina, come visit me for the weekend. There is a storm brewing, and it is going to hit Rockport." Angelina replies, "Oh no, mom. You should be the one taking shelter. According to the news, the hurricane is supposed to hit just north of you." Angelina's mother insists, "No! The hurricane is going to hit Rockport. PLEASE come visit me. If for nothing else, just come for the weekend so I can see you and the kids." Angelina reluctantly agrees to drive 3 hours south, to visit her mother in Harlingen, Texas.
On Wednesday evening, Angelina decides to make the drive south. Normally, at the threat of any storm, Angelina packs up everything she owns and shoves it into her small four-door sedan. Time and time again, her neighbors in Rockport make fun of her. "Where are you going Angelina? Why are you packing up your whole apartment? There is just a small storm coming. Why are you overreacting?" Angelina's habit stems back to 2005 when she and her family used to live in Houston, Texas.
New Orleans had just been slammed by Hurricane Katrina. Now, the Houston-area was warned a hurricane was coming their way--Hurricane Rita. Angelina packs everything she has up into her car. Then her and her family try to frantically leave Houston. Unfortunately, about 3.7 million other Houstonians are trying to leave town too. Angelina and her family are stranded on the interstate. Gas stations run out of gas. Folks run out of food and water. Angelina witnesses people abandon their cars on the freeway, climb over walls, down embankments and run up to any nearby building, begging, pleading for food, water and the ability to use the restroom. The gridlock lasts for two days; nineteen people perish.
With these images still seared in her memory, Angelina decides if there is going to be a storm to hit Rockport, she is not going to wait to potentially be stuck in another gridlock crisis situation. Angelina packs up enough clothes for her and her family to go visit her mom for the weekend. Angelina is sure she will be back to Rockport very soon and decides not to pack up all her possessions.
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