ABOVE: From 2005, my Mother surveying her back porch just hours after Hurricane Rita. A few days later I drove Mom from Orange to Oklahoma where she lived with my wife and I for several days.
Two years ago, my family's world as I knew it changed forever.
Hurricane Rita made landfall near the TX/LA state line on September 25, 2005. My hometown of Orange, TX, took the direct hit with measured wind gusts over 110mph in the city. What started as a job assignment turned into an unplanned rescue mission as I evacuated my Mother from Orange while at the same time covering the hurricane for Tulsa viewers.
I deserted my TV crew after the hurricane to help Mom. Her house, my old childhood home, faired better than some as it was physically standing, but falling trees crashed through the roof allowing unwanted water damage. Fortunately I was able to rescue some of my father's old stuff before the mildew set in. Today my mother's house is secured from the outside elements, but much of the interior needs work-- I don't know if I'll ever have a 'normal' trip home since there's always things to fix and rebuild for Mom!
Around town, familiar community structures were destroyed; huge trees gone--actually several of the trees landed, or I should say crashed into the house.
ABOVE PHOTO: my old bedroom- it didn't do well in the hurricane. That's a tree limb sticking through a dangling ceiling fan.
Two years later now Orange is still recovering. Just this past week the boarded-up, hurricane ravaged community center down the street from Mom's house was finally torn down. My old high school resumed football games at night-- they were forced to play during afternoons as the stadium lost its light towers thanks to Rita.
But the biggest loss in my heart was the thousands and thousands of old pine and oak trees across the county. At Mom's house every single substantial pine tree was felled.
ABOVE: This is where I used to get a haircut back in the day. In the background is a severely thinned out forest. The shopping center was rebuilt, but hundred year old trees are more difficult to replace.
...
I've been asked by school children a question to which there's no correct answer, "Mr. Flickinger, what's worse a tornado or a hurricane?" From my now personal experience I'll vote that a hurricane is 'worse' as more people are affected due to a larger damage swath.
Hurricane Rita completely changed the landscape and course of life for thousands in Orange and Southeast Texas.
BELOW PHOTO:
Here's me being me, I'm relaunching some storm debris, a giant plastic sheet into the hurricane. Video of me being an idiot and hand measuring 85mph wind is currently airing on a PBS/NOVA hurricane special.
