We barely made it out alive.. But we are here... DEVASTATED!!!

When you realize you have lost absolutely everything, but discover that the most important thing you have is each other.. My name is Karen Barrett, and this is our Story... We are residents of Long Beach Mississippi. Our Address was 176 Central Avenue. My father Bert Barrett, had a heart attack Friday afternoon and was rushed in for emergency surgery Friday night about midnight at Keesler Air force Base. He had a heart attack 2 years earlier in which they inserted 2 stints. They ended up putting 6 more stints in this time. He was then sent to ICU, they sent him home the next day against our wishes we begged the Doctors to keep him in because of the hurricane but they were trying to keep as few patients as they could, by the time he got home after picking up his heart medicine, it was about 6 at night, and he was in a lot of pain and could barely walk. At that time we heard on the news that they were shutting down I-10 East, and highway 49 was at a stand still, and we knew my dad could not handle sitting in traffic for hours... So we decided to stay... There were 5 of us in the house my mom and dad; Bert, and Pam Barrett, My 8 year old twins Austin, and Tyler, and I. Not excluding Lizzy our Dog who was just like part of the family, and our cat Sheeba. My other 2 sons were with thier father to ride out the storm. Our house had been through hurricane Camille and received no damage so we felt safe. Our house was 4 houses from the beach. We woke up the morning of August 29th, and it was like any other morning it was just a little windy, nothing big honestly rather calm for a hurricane. It gradually got more and more gusty, and once the hurricane started it did not stop... We kep****ching down the road to make sure the water wasn't coming up and honestly it didn't appear to be. All of a sudden we saw water in the yard, we thought to ourselves ok we can handle this just a little water in the yard. I will tell you within 15 minutes the water was up to our chest. We had put the twins up in my moms shelf in her closet which was about 8 foot above the ground. Everything in the house started floating, the refrigerator, came off of the wall, all of the furniture started floating, even the carpet was floating so when we tried to walk we had to push the carpet back down to the ground. I looked over at the front door and the water was about 2 feet higher outside the door than it was inside and the door looked like it was breathing in and out I suppose from the pressure of the water. All you could see outside was black water with all sorts of debris floating from vehicles to refrigerator's, to tv's you name it it was floating. I remember hearing my moms car alarm go off on her van at this point it pretty much had water half way up it. The twins were screaming because they felt the shelf moving in my moms closet the screams are like nothing you have ever heard before. Everything went so fast. We decided to get the twins down and we put them on my parents bed which was at this time floating We then decided that we should get in the attic so we got the ladder and started to try and get in the attic but the water was rising so fast that we thought to ourselves the roof was tin if we get in there there is no way we are getting out. We decided to try and make it to the next house which seemed to be a little bit higher than ours so we grabbed the twins and headed for the front door. While making our way to the door all of the windows started shattering, all you heard was the cracking of wood, smashing of glass, popping, and wood snapping its un-describable, and the wind was sooo loud.. We made it to the front door with no idea on how we were going to get out of the door it was swollen shut with the pressure of the water on the other side. I had Austin and my Mother had Tyler. I yelled to my mom that I was going to go back and try and grab the purses that we had thrown up with the kids on the shelf in her closet.. I had gotten back to the bar and my mom yelled at me to leave them that we needed to get out of the house NOW!!! My Dad ended up having to break the front door to get out of the house and all the water rushed in. Tyler said he saw Lizzy got out onto the front porch, but the fact of not knowing is what hurts the most. We made it onto the porch and then had to break one of the screens to the left on the porch and step off to try and make it to the other house. The water was moving so fast and it amazed me at the strength of it. My dad went first and I followed with Austin and then my Mother with Tyler. When we stepped off the porch we underestimated the depth of the water it was almost over our heads we couldn't touch the ground. We had to grab branches and debris to try and get to the next house, but every time we would get closer a wave would suck us back towards our house. The kids were screaming, and screaming saying that they didn't want to die. The water kept rising higher with every wave, and honestly I swear we thought we were gone. It seemed to take forever to get to the other house and we realized that we were in trouble when we saw the destruction around us. My dad climbed on the porch of our neighbors house, well what was left of it, and we passed him Austin, and Tyler one at a time. We finally made our way into the house that was gutted with timber all over the inside and a few pieces of furniture. WE made it into the front left hand room and the water was just above our waist. My dad found a tin bath tub and we put the boys in that, and put the bucket on top of a pile of floating wood, but the water kept rising.. We knew there had to be an attic in here so my Dad went in search of it and thank goodness he found it.. He pulled down the stairs and told us to come over there to get up higher. We sent the twins one at a time up the fold down stairs into the attic then we followed. The winds had to be whipping at about 200 mph. The attic was full of insulation but for a few minutes we felt safe, like a calm was over us.. But that feeling did not last very long. There were a few bags that had some pillows in it and a dusty old blanket so I laid it down over the fiber glass for the kids to sit on.. My Mom and Dad sat around the opening of the attic to watch and see if the water was rising any faster I remember my Dad saying he was watching a white spot on the wall. The water continued to rise, and then slowed down. At first we were saying we can handle the wind, if the water would just stop coming up. But then the wind wouldn't stop its like it started and there was no reprieve.. We figured that we would eventually get the eye and have a break but the eye never came. WE heard crashing, and banging,. and thumping and the wind was soooo loud. After being up there for about 10 minutes we heard a loud crash which at the time we had no idea what it was but we later found out.. it was our house. GONE, everything we owned, everything my parents had gathered in there 30 years of marriage, all of the kids pictures, jewelry, all of our possessions, our identities, gone.... The entire time we were in the Attic the kids were screaming and crying saying they didn't want to die. I think I heard "Dear Jesus please save us" followed by hysterical crying a million times. We all of a sudden heard louder cracking and popping and creaking and all of a sudden the entire front half of the roof flew off and there was a huge suction we quickly moved further back in a little corner of the attic and for 2 hours we sat there all huddled in a ball together watching parts of the roof fly off and watching tree limbs flying by, debris floating by, leaves and dirt flying inside the attic, its like we had our own panoramic wide screen TV, and we were watching the most realistic horror movie you have ever seen or a really dramatic episode of storm stories on the weather channel. The attic was constantly swaying it was like we were sitting on a plate being spun on a long stick. I can honestly tell you I was almost sure that these were our last minutes. I cannot begin to explain the thoughts that were going through my head, and I can tell you that your life does flash before your eyes.. My Mother and I had visions of the roof caving in with us in it.. Every time I would stop praying the twins would yell at me to pray louder, that I was not praying loud enough. It was the most horrifying things I have ever seen.. No one can even fathom by seeing on tv what is happening here. About 3 hours later we thought we heard something, it happened to be our neighbor making his way with water just above his waist with wind blowing him all over the place down the middle of the street.. He was coming to find us, but he couldn't hear us screaming.. I started screaming his name but it was scaring the kids even more than they were already. I know what he must have thought when he saw our house.. We saw that the water was receding just as fast as it came in and my Dad told us to wait in the attic while he went downstairs to see if it was safe to come down.. As soon as he reached the bottom of the attic stairs I remember it as if it were today he said.. "The house is gone!!!" I didn't believe him I thought he was just trying to make light of the situation so I got up and started climbing down the stairs and it was gone nothing but a pile of Debris. It was breathtaking and horrifying.. There were no houses south of ours anymore the brick mansions that were once there were gone and you could look both ways to Gulfport, and Long beach and see nothing as far as your eye could see. So my dad and I were downstairs in the house and we one at a time got the twins downstairs where there was still water but more debris than anything. We all went in the same room we huddled in before we got up into the attic. My Dad then climbed out of the window, and over all the debris to try and get to Mikes house next door. I do remember him standing on what appeared to be a big white door and he kind of had to catch his balance he looked like he was surfing trying to get to Mikes house. He made it over there and knocked on the door but no one answered the wind was still blowing very, very, very hard... Finally Mike came around and opened the door, I can only imagine the shock he must have felt after seeing our house then my Dad. They spoke for a few minutes then he gave us the go ahead to make our way over there he made it back through the debris to help us over there each of us taking one of the twins. I remember whenever we would try and stand on anything it was still very wet and it would sink, it was hard to keep our balance because the wind was still whipping sooo hard. THe devastation all around was indescribable. We looked back at our house and the attic that we were in and it was hard to believe that we made it through. ME and my Father decided to try and make it to the rail road tracks to see if we could find any help once we made it there the Long beach Policeman that was standing there told us to go back to our house... We were shocked and told him that we didn't have a house, it's gone.. We decided to go back to the house so dad could rest a little bit before we all set out to walk to the Sea Bee Base in Gulfport which was about 2 miles away. We knew it was going to get dark soon, and that my dad needed to be somewhere where he could get some medical help so we decided to go ahead and go on to the base.. So the 5 of us took off, exhausted, wet, emotionally drained, and I believe in shock more than anything. We climbed over piles and piles of debris climbed over downed trees, and power lines. My mom and I in the process both stood on nails and ended up having to have tetanus shots when we got to the base. We finally made it to the rail road tracks where people were starting to walk down from north of the tracks to see the devastation. We felt like people coming out of a war zone emerging from the ashes victorious. Yes we had lost everything and had nothing but the clothes on our back, but we had each other. Our family had grown in strength 100 fold. There were 3 men in a red pick up truck that offered us a ride, and we climbed in the back of there truck and they took us to the gate of the Seabee base.. the destruction we saw as we were driving was un believable..Luckily my dad kept an extra ID in the glove compartment of his truck which ended up a couple houses away. We walked in the gate and were stopped by security as soon as they found out my Father was a retired Command Master Chief they welcomed us in and took care of everything.. We were in a refugee camp for 4 days, sleeping on cots they treated us very well. They took my dad to Memorial hospital the first night to check him out because he had just had major heart surgery. On September 1st my brother Steven Barrett who is stationed at the Coast Guard Station in Pensacola Florida came into the refugee camp and got all of us and brought us to Pensacola. SO we are here now.. WE have absolutely nothing to our name but we have our lives so that's what's important. You tend not to appreciate the small things till you realize you have absolutely nothing!! We are blessed, and I refuse to question why or how we made it out alive, I just know that there was something protecting us because there is no logical theory on how we were able to make it out of there.. We found out as well that my other 2 sons made it out ok as well we have contacted them and they will be joining us very soon. Family is so important, and the fact that we as a family lost everything is miniscule to the fact that we as a family have each other when the outcome could have easily been turned in the other direction At this current time my Brother has taken in 5 families that have lost just about everything. One family has gone back to Louisiana but there are still 13 of us staying here under his roof. My brother Steven Barrett, and his wife Virginia have been a rock for all of us.. Our Family is going through some serious emotional battles having been through what we have in the last week, but in the long run it will make us stronger. Thank you for taking the time to read our story In conclusion.. Yes we lost absolutely everything, but having family and friends mean more to me than any worldly possession you could ever dream of having... We have been trying to get help but it has been few and far between. WE have called every organization known to man and keep being told we will send you information in the mail to fill out etc... It's been hard but I know that we made it through that horrible ordeal for a reason, and we will get through this with the love of frineds and family Sending hugs to all of my OH sisters and Brothers Karen [email protected]

OMG Karen, you and your family were definately in God's hands. Ya'll went through so much but yet survived. I could not even begin to imagine what you went through. I am relived that ya'll are all ok. If I can do anything to help you please let me know. I will be praying for all of you. Becky

Hey Karen, I am glad to know that you are okay. I was praying for you and your family. We too, lost most everything, our house is unlivable and we lost about 90 % of our belongings. I returned to Biloxi last night and seen everything for the first time, it looks like a bomb went off here on the coast. It is the most horrific thing I have ever seen in my life! My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family in your time of need. If you need to talk, send me your number and I will give you a call. Love you Lots! Rhonda

Rhonda, My prayers are with you. Where are you staying? God Bless You and Your Family, Sonya Sumrall

Hi Sonya, We are staying on base. This base has been a training facility for many many years, after this horrible ordeal, our base sent most of the students to other bases to finish their training in which freed up all of the dorm rooms that they had been occupying. Luckily, the dorm rooms were on high enough ground that there was no damage or little damage to the buildings. My husband and I have a one bedroom dorm room. My son is still in GA, I enrolled him in school there and he will stay there at least until the first of October when Biloxi opens the schools back. We are hoping to get orders back home due to the condition that our house is in and all of our belongings. We have been over to my house several times today digging through mud and muck trying to salvage anything that we can. It stinks something terrible in there due to the nasty flood water from the back bay. Biloxi seems to have a very potent dead smell today, I don't know if it is just all of the damp moldy air or what. We were able to get down to the beach area today and it is so much worse than what you can see on television. If you have ever been to Biloxi, you know how beautiful the coast line was with all of the historic houses, well now it looks like a bomb has went off. Nothing but debris everywhere, very few houses left standing. It is very sad.... Thank you all very much for thinking of me and praying for me. We have to be strong and stand together to overcome the tragedy that we have been through. I could have never imagined in my worst nightmare that my life would be where it is today. I am so thankful that my family and friends are all safe and well.. There are so many people that were not blessed quite as well as we were. Love, Rhonda

Karen, I cried and cried as a read what you have been through. Please email me your address or post it online. I know many of us would like to help out any way we can. God Bless You, Sonya Sumrall

I am crying my eyes out... You and your family have been thru a massive ordeal. I am so so so sorry that you and everyone had to go thru this. I imagine everyone was so afraid. Reading your post, I could hear your children crying. Its amazing you all are still alive. Please let us know the sizes of clothes and shoes your children wear. I will do all I can to help you all.

Hey Karen, I'm so happy that you & your family are ok. Like everyone else, my heart breaks to read what you have went thru. If there is anything we can do please let us know. Tammy

Oh, Thank You God that my beautiful Karen and family are alive and safe! I have been so very afraid to even ask about you fearing what I would hear. This is such a welcome relief. I am going to email your post to the Clarion Ledger and Sun Hearld, if you are agreeable. Please send me contact info so that I can pass it on to them. That should make your help come sooner. Is there any other way I can help? Love very much to you and kiss all those sweet boys for me. Many, many smoochies and even more hugs Arlies

I have forwared this to our editor as well.