| Author | Message | ||
     Roxie "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Roxie Post Number: 197 Registered: 06-2005 Rating: N/A |
Man, 76, Trapped for 18 Days After Katrina By DAVID CRARY and ROSE HANSON, AP NEW ORLEANS (Sept. 17) - Day after day, for more than two weeks, the 76-year-old man sat trapped and alone in his attic, sipping from a dwindling supply of water until it ran out. No food. No way out of a house ringed by foul floodwaters. Without ever leaving home, Gerald Martin lived out one of the most remarkable survival stories of Hurricane Katrina. Rescuers who found him Friday, as they searched his neighborhood by boat, were astounded at his good spirits and resiliency after 18 days without food or human contact. "It's an incredible story of survival," said Louie Fernandez, spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency search unit that carried out the rescue. In recent days, search crews have been finding corpses by the dozens in the still-flooded neighborhoods of New Orleans, but not trapped survivors. The FEMA search-and-rescue boat navigating through the Eighth Ward didn't expect to find anyone alive at 6010 Painters St., but they planned to search the premises of a one-story wood house. As the motor idled and the boat glided forward, they heard a voice. "Hey, over here." Using a sledgehammer, a FEMA rescuer broke down the front door and went inside with another team member, struggling through a living room jumbled with overturned, sodden furniture. They found Martin sitting in a chair in the sludge-covered kitchen, partially undressed in an effort to keep cool. After 16 days in his attic, he had descended to the ground floor two days earlier when the floodwaters - once up to the ceiling - finally drained, even though the house remained surrounded by several feet of water. Incredibly, Martin - who ran out of his gallon-and-a-half water supply on Thursday - was able to walk out of the house with just a bit of assistance. "He was weak, very tired, but he was able to speak, able to stand," Fernandez said. "He was very relieved. He was very thirsty. He was in good spirits." Martin was given water to drink, then taken to Ochsner Foundation Hospital, where nurse Jinny Resor said he was treated for dehydration. She said Martin had taken medication while he was trapped, but she wasn't sure what it was for. In a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press late Friday night, Martin said he was felling fine. "So far, so good," he said. As for his ordeal, his description was concise: "I was living in the attic for 16 days, and I was living off water." The two rescuers who retrieved him are firefighters with a California-based FEMA team - J.D. Madden of Santa Clara and Eric Mijangos of Menlo Park. "I don't know how much longer he could have went on without water," said Madden, 29. Martin's family left before the storm, but he stayed to attend church, later took a nap and woke up to find that his home was filling with water, Madden said. Martin only had time to grab some water and get to his attic, which he described as feeling like an oven during day-after-day of mid-90-degree heat that followed the storm. Madden said the heat in the attic might have been even worse, perhaps fatal, except for shade provided by a fallen tree. Staff Sgt. Jason Randor, a military police officer with the Massachusetts National Guard, watched the rescue from another boat that was helping provide security for the search team. He recalled jubilant yells from the firefighters when they realized someone alive was inside. Martin emerged, wearing jeans and a shirt. "While they were putting him in the chopper, he asked if they could stop on the way at Taco Bell to get something to eat," Randor said. Fernandez, of FEMA, was on scene when Martin arrived at a FEMA base camp before going to the hospital. "He had lost a lot weight," Fernandez said. "He definitely had to hold his pants up with his hands." Martin was the first trapped person found alive by Madden's California Task Force Three team in its 12 days of calling out to homes from the boat and peering into windows. "We've been in the rescue mode the whole time and haven't given up hope that there was someone out there alive," he said. But officials overseeing the search effort said the discovery of corpses and the dwindling number of rescues has been taking an emotional toll on search units. "Our squad members are getting access to trauma and grief counselors," said FEMA rescue squad liaison Charles Hood. "It's becoming a very difficult task." Fernandez said Saturday that Martin's rescue was a welcome morale boost for his colleagues. "Little victories like we saw yesterday help motivate people, who are facing one of the toughest jobs they've ever faced," he said. Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Rose Hanson in Baton Rouge and Cain Burdeau in New Orleans. -------------------------------------------------- [*content sigh*] Bless that man and the family that still has their patriarch. | ||
| Yvettep "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 705 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
WONDERFUL story--Made my day! Thank you for sharing this. | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 135 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Now we know how he managed to live to be 76.That old guy is tougher than a boot heel.  Ditto to Yvette.Wonderful story. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1453 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Rustang: I saw the news story on him. You surprise me. What? No criticism of the brother cuz he didn't have a shirt on or had his belly out? I notice he didn't have no front teeth and his speech wasn't proper. In your universe he shouldn't have been representing the colored folks, should he? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2592 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
I can hardly wait for Rustang to tell your obnoxious ass off, Chrishayden. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1454 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Cynique: If you feel froggy take a leap! | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 138 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Well now,Chris,that certainly raises an interesting question.Since you obviously saw the news story before you saw this thread, why were you taking such a critical inventory of this man's appearance and behavior when he had been through such an ordeal? You say that I surprise you? I'm sure that an intellectual cripple such as yourself is surprised on a regular basis. Were you not a man of such amazingly limited understanding you would have realized that someone like this old man would elicit nothing but respect,admiration and sympathy from me. He is no embarrassment to the black race. You are. | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 139 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Something else just occurred to me. I'll bet that old man'll whip your god damn ass for you if he sees what you said about him. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2596 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Sorry, Chrishayden, I don't feel froggy, so go jump in the lake like the big warty toad that you are. EW | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1456 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Rustang: You're the man who laughs at black people who are victims of flood and disaster. Not me. Cynique: You may not FEEL froggy but you look like your foot will fit a lilly pad! Ribbitt! | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2597 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Do you know what you're talking about, Chrishayden. Are you confusing Rustang with Nels?In one of his posts, Rustang mentioned that he drove to New Orleans from Texas to see if he could lend a hand and after going out with a guy in a boat, he helped rescue some people, and even brought back a family to stay with him. You need to crawl back under your rock, el Jerko. | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 140 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Cynique, confusion and not knowing what he's talking about are what he does best. It should surprise no one when a dog starts barking.That's what they do. Let's stay focused here, Chris.You saw the story.The story must precede the thread about the story.My post was made the evening after the thread was initially posted. This means that while you were sitting there in the privacy of your own home, independent of anything that might or might not be happening at this web site, you were picking this man to pieces. There is no other possibility.If you say that anything else was happening at that moment, you are obviously and blatantly lying.You can lie to yourself and spin it in your own mind to have yourself be something other than what you are, which is an elitist snob, void of merit, ability,intellect and compassion,but your lie will not stand up to the most casual application of logic.Apparantly the person you believe that you are bears little resemblance to the person you actually are,you detestable little worm. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1457 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Cynique: Your mind is mush so I will reproduce my post (on the thread, "The FBI is loose") and his hysterical reply, which seemed to indicate to me at least, that he agreed with the sentiments in the posting therein My post: Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 11:00 am: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion group. And everything is up for discussion. And everyone is free to discuss whatever he or she will. But only a damn fool would look at the pictures of those suffering people come up with some comments like this. Looks like Strom and the boys were right. Ain't ready-- But all is not lost. Maybe a terrible natural disaster will strike your areas and you guys can show off your prize winning physiques as you cling to some driftwood, swelter in a shelter or float face down in some muddy water. Rustang's hissy fit: Rustang AALBC .com Platinum Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 122 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) Posted on Saturday, September 10, 2005 - 11:32 am: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To Chris:This particular 'prize-winning physique'was over there dragging cars out of swampy mud and getting them running so folks could get out of there.It was also running back and forth hauling people out of there and getting them situated in a safe place, and just to make sure that there would be someone admiring my manly self I have a young couple with three small chilldren living in my house as we speak.I guess I must have some real ego issues.I probably should have stayed in the comfort of my home and watched tv while wringing my hands,bleating about how somebody needs to do something about this,like you did.I see from your comments that we can add big ol' fat bastard to that list of qualities you possess in adundance,like arrogant,stupid and argumentative.If a natural disaster strikes my area you can bet on two things.First,I will survive it and second,I will be right there in the thick of it in the recovery.Withdraw to your fantasy world where the chubby little munchkins don't have strokes and heart attacks and leave the grown-ups alone. Rustang: You aren't Cynique in cyberdrag, are you? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2603 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
As usual, you put your own spin on things, Chrishayden. You haven't made your point at all. Just your own personal interpretation, skewed to make you look less foolish than you are. But your attempt failed. Face it. you're a loser. And a wormy loser at that. EW | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1459 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Cynique: I love it the way the intellectual level of a thread goes DOWN whenever you're involved. Puddles of ignorance just form wherever you are! How do you do it? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2606 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Give it a rest, Chrishayden. Your attempt to deflect from your own inadequacies by attacking me aint'working. No matter how you slice it, you are full of baloney, - a pathetic wanna-be who resorts to vapid accusations in order to mask his own insecurities. | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 141 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Drag is when a man dresses like a woman, braniac.I see that you are desperately looking around for something to focus on other than yourself.The fact remains that you were too busy disparaging this man to marvel at the story unfolding on your tv.I sure you had a good laugh at this very durable fellow's expense.That's the small minded, petty sort of person that you are.And now,it seems, you will get what you wished for concerning me.A category five hurricane is heading my way,and my statement about the two things that you could bet on stands.I will survive it, as will my wife, our daughter, her husband , their son, and the five people I have taken responsibilty for.I will also be as heavily involved in the recovery as my situation allows.I see that the gods truly do watch out for idiots, for they have interceded in your behalf again.But they also seem to have overlooked something.I don't bar hurricanes.They say send him another hurricane? I say fuck 'em. Bring it on, you sons of bitches. I'll be getting ready for it. | ||
| Tonya "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Tonya Post Number: 364 Registered: 07-2005 Rating: N/A |
That's what's up! Rustang! You're my hero, such a manly man. Please stay safe. Love ya! Tonya | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1465 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Bust-Thang: I am not worried about any of you. You can all float out of harms way using your swelled head as an ark. The Lord will preserve you so you can get some more of these cyber buttwhippings | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2608 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
There's nothing worse than a jealous, ego-centric wimp who doesnt know when he's been bested. Poor ol Chrishayden. He tries sooo hard. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2611 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Hope you weather the storm, Rustang. | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 142 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Chris, you know that you want to be just like me when you grow up.All you need to do is butch up some and make sure that you remember to keep breathing.It seems that the worst of it will miss Houston entirely.We'll probably lose power in some areas but that's about it.Good for Houston, bad for Beaumont, I guess.Thanks for the kind wishes. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2625 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Glad you escaped the storm, Rustang. Now all you have to contend with is a certain "blow-hard" who also happens to be a "big drip." heh-heh | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 143 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Just got my power turned back on.That was weird.First time I ever went through a hurricane and didn't get a drop of rain. | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2635 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
"First time I ever went through a hurricane and didn't get a drop of rain." Gee, Rustang. You're a poet and don't know it. Or maybe you do. (Just a little dry humor for ya.) | ||
| Rustang "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Rustang Post Number: 144 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
My feet are Longfellows? | ||
| Cynique "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Cynique Post Number: 2638 Registered: 01-2004 Rating: N/A |
Are we dating ourselves, or what? Ahh for the innocent humor of yesteryear. |
