Your senior year of high school is supposed to be one to remember for the rest of your life. As a senior of Cabrini High School class of 2006, it was a year I will never forget. We were approximately two weeks into the school year when the name Katrina began to dominate the news. As a member of the student council, I was too busy planning the senior ring ceremony and dance to focus on the storm brewing in the Gulf. The Friday before the storm hit an eerie announcement was piped over the intercom. We were asked to remove our things from the bottom lockers on the first floor and help teachers move any electrical equipment into safe storage. As we did what was requested of us, we smiled and asked the teachers, \"Does this mean we get a long weekend?\" If I knew that would be the last time I saw my friends, teammates and teacher I would have given them a big hug. \r\nWhen I returned home from school that Friday, I learned that my seven-year-old sister, Katie, was taken to Children\'s Hospital and had been admitted. Katie was born pre-mature and suffered from severe cerebral palsy, blindness and was mentally challenged. Due to her several medical conditions, Children\'s Hospital became like a second home to my family. My family consisted of my mom, dad, Ms. Angela, our nanny, my oldest sister Jamie, her eight-month-old son Edward, my adopted brother Johnathan, who also is mentally challenged and required a venitilator, my youngest brother Justin, my little sister Katie and me. As the storm began to take aim at New Orleans, my family prepared for evacuation. \r\nEvacuation became complicated because of the size of my family and Katie\'s medical condition was not stable enough for her to be transported. Therefore Katie, my mom and my grandmother stayed at the hospital while my dad sent Ms. Angela, Jamie, Johnathan, Justin and Edward Saturday afternoon to stay with friends in Natchitoches, Louisiana. As I watched the news I grew more anxious and asked my dad when he and I were going to evacuate. My dad did not want to leave my mom and sister at the hospital until it could be confirmed that the storm was going to affect us directly. Then late Saturday afternoon, WWLTV announced that the storm track had shifted to the west and New Orleans was going to take a direct hit. I informed my dad and he instructed me to begin to pack up our house. \r\nThere I was seventeen-years-old and responsible for deciding what needed to be packed and what had to stay. My adrenaline was pumping through me as I rushed through the house pulling pictures off the wall, locating birth certificates and rummaging through our pantry for canned goods. Once everything of value was pack and loaded in to my dad\'s truck, we made our way to the Children\'s Hospital to see my mom and Katie one last time before we left. As I walked down the hall of the hospital, I overheard a nurse say she was not leaving because she did not have the money to leave. Five years later I still wonder what ever happened to the nurse. \r\nSunday we attended mass at a small Catholic church in Natchitoches. The church was so full that we had to stand outside and listen to mass. Everyone in the congregation seemed so somber it felt as though we were at a funeral not a regular mass. I then saw my high school principal as I stood in the communion line. She grabbed my hand and squeezed tightly. Immediately tears streamed from my eyes. At the end of mass, with out saying a word to each other my siblings and I knelt down in front of the altar and prayed. We did not pray for our house, our cars or our things to be okay. We prayed that God would protect our mom, grandmother and little sister. \r\nAs Katrina began to make her mark on New Orleans, we all remained glued to the television. We tried to call the hospital but there was no answer. My dad was trying to be strong for us but we could tell he was worried because he was pacing around the house. Then we watched the footage of the flooding and looting which made me even more scared for their safety. After spending two sleepless nights at our friend\'s house we decided to go to our other grandmother\'s house in New Iberia, Louisiana. We were finally able to get in touch with my mom who voluntarily discharged my sister. They met up with us in New Iberia. \r\nNew Iberia became our new home for the next two years due to the water damage in our Metairie home. I graduated from Catholic High School in New Iberia. My family and I cannot thank the New Iberia community enough. They made us feel so welcomed and help us with so much. Meeting the amazing people of New Iberia was truly the blessing out of this whole experience. \r\n