Hi, I'm Dave Isae founder of StoryCorps.

Support for this podcast and the following message come from Dignity Memorial.

Did you know that planning your celebration of life in advance can protect your family?

Give your loved ones the best gift, peace of mind.

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Hey, folks, this is Max Jung Rice from the StoryCorps podcast.

Just want to remind you that you can tell us your personal stories by calling our voicemail at

702-706 talk.

This week, tell us about a time someone did something completely selfless for you.

That's 702-706, T-A-L-K.

It's hard to believe that one day can change everything for you. I had my life all planned out,

but Katrina came and changed everything. 20 years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.

It was just amazing the power of that storm.

My front door just burst open.

And the water came in and I immediately went from two inches to about three feet.

I was praying during Hurricane Katrina more than a Catholic priest, more than any priest.

I don't think anybody in their wildest dreams were prepared for what really happened.

In the very first months, sometimes just weeks after the storm,

survivors from all over the Gulf Coast, recorded

in our StoryCorps mobile booths, miles from where their homes used to be, in the many different

cities where they had fled.

This storm, it separated people, it brought people together, it took people's lives.

...