Father Tracey returns to devastation; Freemans ride out storm and watch destruction unfold

Stories and photos by Nathan Rode

Father Michael Tracey was well beyond the wrath of Hurricane Katrina but he endured just as much damage.

Tracey was visiting his home in Wesport, Ireland, when Katrina struck Bay St. Louis, Miss., and he knew that his return would not be easy.

"I was aware of the storm," Tracey said. "I saw news reports and aerial photos of the town."

Coming to the destruction has been paralyzing for residents of Bay St Louis. What was once a beautiful little town now looks like a war zone. Trees and debris are scattered aimlessly around, and several homes only have the concrete foundation remaining.

Tracey stayed in contact with his secretary, Jo Sharp, who rode the storm out in Panama City, Fla. She kept sending updates, and Tracey prepared for the worst.

"I knew we had to start all over again," Tracey said. "But the question was, where do we start?"

Tracey returned to Bay St. Louis with no place to live, no vehicle and no personal belongings. His church, Our Lady of the Gulf, was ravished and he roamed the grounds looking for something, anything that sparked a memory of what he had.

He was initially paralyzed by the destruction but he knew he had to do something. He began by working on his own home. He looked for belongings that may have been spared and did his share of mourning.

Then he turned his attention to the community and rose to the occasion as a leader.

"People would drop by to see how things were going," Tracey said, "but they wouldn't go near the water because of its destructive power."

Over a short period of time, Tracey began connecting with people and bringing the community back together. He knows a time frame can't be put on the recovery of Bay St. Louis, but he is prepared to do what it takes.

"People deal with these things differently," Tracey said. "Some start fresh while others work with what they have. We have to go a step at a time. It will take patience and perseverance."

Tracey explained that Bay St. Louis has come together so well because everyone is in the same situation and the "people are genuine with each other." Members of the church have returned and Mass is once again being held. Every day Tracey tries to answer questions about the tragedy, but he made his best point at the very first Mass after the storm.

"We are alive," he said.

It's what's on the inside that counts. Donnie and Janet Freeman welcomed volunteers from Elon with open arms on a Sunday afternoon as they arrived to help clean up.

As the students approached the house they looked at each other in question. The yard was clear of sticks and debris. It appeared to be in significantly better shape than the rest of the town. So why did these people need help?

The Freemans didn't hesitate to invite the volunteers into their house. It was then that students realized their purpose for helping this family. Nothing remained on the inside. Only the framework was still standing. The drywall had been torn out by Donnie Freeman, and what was left is probably sitting in the Gulf. Standing in the corner of the master bedroom, you can see all the way to the opposite corner of the house where the Freemans had their living room The Freemans' house is located a mile and a half inland from the Gulf of Mexico and is 23 feet above sea level. The last thing they expected was for a tidal wave to cover the town of Bay St. Louis, Miss. and take everything with it. That is why they decided to ride out Hurricane Katrina.

"We felt safe," Donnie Freeman said. "We rode out Camille and Betsy."

Camille and Besty devastated the same area in 1969 and 1965 respectively. Before Katrina made landfall she was drawing comparisons to these previous natural disasters. The Freemans felt well-versed with these storms and knew what to do.

"We knew how to prepare," Donnie Freeman added. "We gassed up our six cars and waited."

The winds began to pick up in the afternoon and Donnie decided to move his family when a large tree fell in the front yard.

"We went over to my sister's house because they are a little higher and have two stories," Janet Freeman said.

Janet's sister, Geraldine Rutherford, lives with her husband, JD, next door. From the Rutherford residence the two families watched the water come in and begin to swallow everything around the neighborhood. The Freemans said the water level rose and receded in less than 30 minutes.

"Camille was a windstorm with 160 mph winds," Donnie Freeman said.

"Water is what made Katrina destructive."

The water line reached 52 inches inside the Freeman's home and took everything except a white, wooden baby crib.

As the water rose, Donnie thought of his long tenure in Bay St. Louis.

He's lived there for 54 years, as has Janet. Their house on Ninth Street has been their residence for 19 years and they don't intend on ending that run now.

"I was watching 32 years of hard work go down the drain," Donnie said.

"But now we will try to revive family heirlooms."

Donnie Freeman is affiliated with Hancock Bank in Mississippi. In 1969, when Hurricane Camille ravished the area, the company released a slogan saying "Together we build." Now, in 2005, Hancock Bank has modified the slogan to "Together we rebuild."

Our Lady of the Gulf Church still stands proudly as the sun rises on the Gulf.

Molly Dugan, junior, looks at the photos that Janet Freeman took during Hurricane Katrina. The Freemans attempted to ride out the storm in their home but were forced to seek higher ground at Janet's sister house next door.

Father Tracey (center) stands with trip leaders Emily Dillard (left) and Elyse Elliot (right) outside of the Our Lady of the Gulf Community Center. Father Tracey was at his home in Ireland when Hurricane Katrina struck Bay St. Louis. He returned to the devastation and began bringing the community back together. Services are underway once again and volunteers are pouring to offer their help.

Janet Freeman points to the line that marks where the water level reached in her house. She said she found items from her bedroom in the kitchen and most of the family heirlooms were lost or destroyed.