On August 29, 2005, one of the world\'s most natural disasters hit the Gulf Coast region. Many residents were able to leave before the storm sat in, but unfortunately many were not. My family was one of the many families who stayed back, and I will remember that for the rest of my life. We stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel located next to the Harrah\'s casino. We did not receive any water around the hotel, but we knew that it was in other places. On the other side of Canal St. the water was chest high. We were able to get food and water every day but we went without lights and running water for days. \r\n\r\n Relief came to us through the Hotel\'s Corporate Office, on Friday September 2. The owner of the Windsor Court sent State troopers which lead us out of New Orleans, but the whole thing was bittersweet because on the way out we passed in front of the Convention Center were we saw everything with our own two eyes. There were so many people standing around just looking at these cars driving right passed them. There were children crying out for someone to get them. There was dead bodies posted all around, it was just a horrible sight to see. I know that if I was one of the children standing there I would have passed out from just looking at the person lying next to me dead.\r\n\r\n My family and I were not able to ride in the same car, but we were able to go to the same place, unlike other families. We stayed with my mother\'s in-laws which were fine for awhile, until peoples true colors started to show which was understanding because I know it difficult for them to house 15 family members at one time. I stayed in Baton Rouge for one month and went to school for three weeks, until my father came to get me. The reason why I left was because my school was opening back up and it was my senior year I just could not see myself graduating from another school. I went to leave with my uncle, his wife, and their three kids. My father moved to Texas and my mother stayed in Baton Rouge. I had to provide for myself, so I got a job. It was hard being away from my family even though my aunt and uncle were family it still just didn\'t fill right. My mother moved back in December, which was the best month of my life. It just seemed to me that I was a burden to them. \r\n\r\n Now we are better off then before the hurricane, we have a bigger house and appliances we never had. I truly can say that Katrina was a blessing in disguise. We financially stable and we have our lives so we are happy for that, but I think that we will never be emotionally stable because of everything we went through and everything we saw on the ride out, but other then I am fine and my family is stronger then ever.\r\n