Written by Phyllis Petrich
Photography courtesy of Phyllis Petrich
and w.w.w.

he following is an e-mail letter sent to Bluffton resident, Nick Maxim. It is an account of events that happened to his cousins, Sheldon and Phyllis Petrich. They were on a romantic get-away in New Orleans for their anniversary. The rest is history.

Hi Everyone:

What follows is the sequence of events, to the best of my recollection, of our stay in New Orleans.

Sheldon and I decided that we needed time away to rest and refocus. We chose New Orleans since we had coupons for a Ritz Carlton for the trip to Japan that never happened. Having never been to New Orleans, I decided it would be romantic. HAH, shows you how much I know!

We left BWI Airport on Thursday, the 25th of August. We arrived safely in New Orleans and were picked up by Sheldon’s Uncle Theo and Aunt Guy. We celebrated in the car with champagne and headed for check-in at the hotel. What a gorgeous hotel it is .................... or should I say was?
We decided to have an early evening and Theo and Guy left us at the hotel with instructions to call them in the AM. We went to an early dinner at a restaurant directly across the street. It was called Deenies and you can see it in some of our pictures.

On the morning of the 26th we watched the Weather Channel to track the storm and felt comfortable for the time being that we were safe. We did the usual sightseeing during the day. We went to the aquarium and IMAX theater, which are no longer there. We walked all along Canal Street and over to Bourbon Street and Royal Street.

We met with Theo and Guy and had a magnificent dinner at a place called “The Commander’s Palace” for dinner. I heard that fires were burning near this historic restaurant and don’t know what has become of it. We celebrated our 16th anniversary evening there.

By Saturday morning, the 27th, we were becoming concerned about the weather and the fact that the storm was now heading directly for New Orleans.

I called the airlines to try to change our flight to leave earlier, but no flights were available. Apparently, everyone else was doing the same. We checked on rental cars. None available. We checked with the hotel management and they assured us they would not throw us out on the street! We would be safe with them, they promised! So, we went about our merry way walking around the French Quarter.

On Sunday morning, the 28th I began calling the airport very early. We were scheduled to fly out at 4:30 and both Sheldon and I were concerned that our flight would be cancelled. We were told that the highways were jammed and the usual 15 minute trip to the airport was now taking 3 to 4 hours. We called Theo and Guy and tried to convince them to allow us to take their car and drive them wherever they wanted to go and then we would find our way back to Maryland from there. They did not want to leave. I can understand their thinking since there had been so many false alarms prior to this storm. We asked them to consider coming to the hotel with us. They refused us again. We were now faced with some very troubling decisions. Do we go to their home and force them to leave, or failing that, stay with them to ride out the storm. Do we leave instead for the airport in the hopes that our flight would not be cancelled. It was a rule of the hotel that if you chose to leave, you could not come back! What if we missed our flight with all the traffic? What if, half way to the airport, we found that our flight had been cancelled. Our choice, as you all know by now, was to stay put. In retrospect, it was a wise choice. One hour after our decision, our flight was indeed cancelled and the airport shut down even though the storm was not due to hit until Monday morning.

By mid afternoon, all guests of the hotel were called to the main ballroom for an update. We had found out that the hotel had opened its doors to local residents who had no means of transportation to get away, or to even get to the Superdome. Additionally, they also opened their doors to all of their employees, their families and friends along with any pets they had. At one point, the hotel had between 1300 and 1800 people in it. Things got pretty rowdy for a while, but we all struggled through.

Our instructions from the hotel were that when the storm hit, we would all be evacuated to the main ballroom which was on the second floor and without windows. They felt sure we would be safe there. Both Sheldon and I slept in our clothes that evening. By 4:00 AM I awoke from a fitful sleep to the sound of the wind howling outside our window. I woke Sheldon and told him that we were probably going to be evacuated soon. Within 10 minutes the knock came on the door. “Evacuate to the Ballroom. Do not take the elevator. Walk carefully downstairs and bring only what you absolutely need. Sheldon and I grabbed my purse and the room key and ran downstairs. The ballroom was filling rapidly and beginning to overflow into the hall and adjacent smaller meeting rooms. Some people had brought their bedding with them. Apparently we never received the note telling us to do that! We remained in the grand ballroom for approximately 12 hours until the storm passed. During that time, the lights flickered and finally went out. Emergency generators went on to light some hallways and the ballroom. We had no idea how bad storm had been. We were in our own little bubble with no real news and no ability to see outside.

When the storm was over, we were told we could return to our rooms but had to use the stairs. We were each given a small flashlight and told that minimal meals would be served in the ballroom 3 times per day. Employees, their families and friends along with hotel guests who had rental cars began leaving the hotel thinking that all was well! They were told that if they chose to leave, they would not be allowed back.

We checked with Sheldon’s Uncle and Aunt and they had made it through the storm with little damage at this point. We said a small prayer for that!
Sheldon and I decided to go outside to survey the damage. As you can see from the pictures, there was a great deal of debris, but the levee had yet to break, so there was no flooding. After circling around the block, we returned to get some dinner at the hotel. At this point, they still had a decent meal of (I would assume) leftovers. Each person in line was marked on their hand indicating they had received food and water. This process was repeated each time you went to eat. However, as the days wore on, the rations became smaller and smaller until on Thursday, there was no more food left.

My days are all a jumble, so if I have this a bit off, forgive me. I don’t know if it was late Monday or on Tuesday and the first levee broke. Shortly after that, we could see the water begin to rise in the street. Of course, we had no word from the outside as our contact was minimal. Cell phones went out and there was an occasional pay phone which still worked. We lost contact with Theo and Guy and silently prayed that they were safe. I don’t even know when the second levee broke, but when I heard it, my heart sank. I thought for sure we were done for.

We had heard of instances of looting, random shooting and blatant murder of police officers who were trying to help. I think each of us silently went into panic. No one wanted to let on how scared we all were, but I can assure you, I feared for my life and the lives of all of those who were with us.

Sheldon and I became very good friends with a group of people who were in our particular area of the hotel which was called Maison Orleans. Among them were some infectious diseases doctors (there for a seminar and abandoned by Abbott Labs) their partners, an attorney and a young couple from London. We stuck pretty close together most of the time and Sheldon and I volunteered to help in the makeshift infirmary that was set up by the doctors. These doctors got some of the police, who were there to protect us from looters, to go across the street to Walgreens. With the permission of either management or the owner of Walgreens, they took drugs for the infirmary and stocked it with diapers and formula along with gatorade and water.

We had been consistently told that the hotel was arranging buses to evacuate us from the hotel. But each time we built up our hopes, they were dashed by the news that buses were not being allowed into the city. Each of us became frustrated by this news, but didn’t know what to do. By Wednesday evening, we were all frantic.

On Thursday, we collectively decided to start making phone calls to anyone we could think of to plead for help on our behalf and for the 340 remaining people in the hotel.

Our initial phone calls didn’t do much. Oh, I should mention that we located a phone line in the hotel office of the Maison Orleans that was still functioning. The employees of the hotel turned their backs and said “If you can get us out of here, have at it. Use the phones”. By Thursday afternoon we had decided to call CNN, FOX and the BBC.

The couple from England got in touch with the BBC and had a live interview with them.

Our group collectively decided I was the only one with a calm voice and needed to speak on our behalf with CNN. Most of you know me well and know that I am a highly emotional being. For me to be chosen as the calm one .......................... you can just imagine the state of everyone!

When I was connected with CNN I had to go through several layers of people to assure them I wasn’t some crazy person off the street. I know they have caller ID, so they could tell from the number that I was, indeed, in New Orleans. I was passed around from person to person and finally connected with the head of the news desk who informed me that I was going to go live with Wolf Blitzer. The people with me were cheering. I was in a panic! From what I hear from people, I must have come across well. At least I got him to listen as I explained our situation.

I understand that after my call with him, he called FEMA and lit into them. “Why on earth would you stop the buses from coming in to evacuate,” he asked. Within 1 hour of my conversation with him helicopters began buzzing the building like bees around a hive. A couple of hours later we were called to the ballroom and told by the manager that we were evacuating the hotel shortly. Go gather whatever belongings you can carry and head downstairs. We were to be evacuated in groups of 40 with an armed guard.

We were to walk through the water and sewage approximately 4 blocks to another hotel where the buses were to take us. Two groups left. One was picked up by a bus and the second abandoned as the bus had been commandeered by FEMA. Those people were left standing outside the second hotel and finally after about 45 minutes, they were taken inside by an employee of the hotel. Time frame of these occurrences is rather fuzzy, so please bear with me on that.

Eventually, as it approached dusk, our group was leaving the hotel. We had all covered with plastic as best we could and grabbed our bags and headed out. Sheldon and I were toward the end of the group and behind us was a family with two small children. The children had been placed in a plastic, wheeled cart given to these people by the hotel. As we left and the water rose, the cart became unstable and the parents were afraid it would tip. The kids were crying and scared. I looked at this man and saw the fear in his eyes and grabbed the cart. I told him we would help. Sheldon grabbed another portion and the young man from England grabbed another side. We helped float this cart to dry land. Bear in mind, the armed guards could not stay with us as they had almost 34 other people they needed to get to safety, so we were on our own for a while. We finally made it the 4 blocks.

When we arrived in the garage area of the Marriott, we stripped off the plastic bags and threw our shoes away. We filed into their ballroom and were greeted with large pans of bleach water to wash our hands and our legs as best we could. Most of us took turns stripping off our wet, stinky clothes behind a huge movie screen and tried to put on something dry and devoid of bacteria. All of our wet clothing was abandoned. Lord knows what was growing on them from the sewage.

We were fed 1/4th of a sandwich with turkey and pickles on it. Sounds awful doesn’t it. Let me tell you, it was like a gourmet meal to us!.
Now the waiting began again. We were told the buses had left Baton Rouge and it would take about 2 hours to arrive. Two hours later we were told they were still 45 minutes away and had been stopped by State Troopers. I don’t know how many times we were told that, but we all began to feel that there were, in fact, no buses coming. Then some good news! The buses were on their way again and instead of the 8 buses (where we would have to double up to get everyone on) there were 18 buses with armed guards.

It was now midnight and into Friday and the buses had yet to arrive. But, lo and behold, shortly after midnight, the buses got there. We were all loaded onto buses, with our doctor friends holding tight to us and trying to pass us off as doctors and/or pharmacists so that we could all stay together! We were led out of New Orleans by police escort and as we left the area I saw sharp shooters holding M16’s and helicopters shining bright lights on the buildings as they searched for potential snipers. Our escort left us as we left the city limits and were on the highway.

We arrived in Baton Rouge at a Marriott Hotel after 3:00 AM. They greeted us with small bars of soap, mouthwash and a hot meal! Since we were in Cajun Country, the meal was quite spicy and since none of us had had much to eat for 5 days, it was difficult to get that food down. Quite a few of us had only a few mouthfuls and stopped. Several of us weren’t sure that what food we did get down, would stay down. The hotel put us all in their ballroom as the entire hotel was filled to capacity with other evacuees! It didn’t matter though. We we now in a safe haven!

The hotel advised that they were arranging a bus to Houston to anyone who either had family there or could arrange flights out. I sat in the hall and plugged my cell phone (whose battery was totally depleted) into an outlet and began making calls. I finally got the airline to book us a flight out of Houston that (I thought) left later that day. We registered for the bus to Houston which was scheduled to leave at 6:00 AM. The ride to Houston is approximately 5 hours and we were cutting it close. But the bus driver, asked if anyone had early flights and took Sheldon and I, along with another couple, directly to the airport and then took the remaining passengers to another hotel for their connections and such. I thanked everyone on the bus for allowing us to be dropped off and their looks and cheers told me my thanks was not necessary.

Our flight was due to leave at 1:15. However, since time, at this juncture, was all a jumble, our flight was actually scheduled for 1:15 on Saturday. I had made the call in the wee hours of Friday. My mind was still somewhere in Thursday! The agent at the desk told me not to worry and did some juggling and we left on Friday at 1:15.

When we arrived in Baltimore, I called CNN back and was put back live with Wolf Blitzer again and told him of our evacuation. He seemed genuinely pleased and I thanked him for all he had done for us. We also had some good news upon our arrival. Sheldon’s Aunt and Uncle made it out safely. They had been resued by boat after 2 days without food and water. When the levee broke, water rose to within 2 inches of their first floor ceiling within 45 minutes. We thank God for their rescue. Unfortunately, they have pretty much lost everying and to add insult to injury, they have no insurance on their home! But, they have their lives, each other and all the family for support.

This has been a life altering experience for both Sheldon and me and I just want to tell each and every one of you that we love you and thank you so very much for your thoughts and prayers as well as the calls and emails when we returned.

I will eventually get to answer each email individually, but it will take some time.

Again, thanks everyone and God Bless!
All our love,
Phyllis and Sheldon