I wanted to help...Katrina...10 years later

It's been 10 years, but to me it will stay with me as if it was yesterday. I remember how I felt the morning of August 29th, 2005. I'd been up most of the night watching the coverage, the anticipation of Katrina hitting the gulf coast region was everywhere. Not a network in the country wasn't there. Every reporter was decked out in storm gear and holding on to a light post, a tree, something, anything to stay safe while bringing the devastating video to us all around the world. It was sensational, but it was also significant. Nothing this big had hit our country in years! And, as I look back, I know we weren't ready, none of us were prepared to handle what came next. My heart was affected that day and I was driven to help...make a donation, answer the phones, something. I went to the local Red Cross office in San Luis Obispo, CA and about 10 days later I was gone, on a plane headed to Baton Rouge to do whatever I could to support the recovery efforts. I was devastated and shocked, when I arrived. It was like a ghost town. As our car, full of volunteers from Iowa, Wisconsin and California traveled from Baton Rouge into New Orleans the roads were empty, stores were boarded up, homes abandoned. It was spooky and so so sad to me. We drove in silence, four strangers brought together by the storm. We each walked away from our lives to head south and do anything to help. My life changed dramatically that year. And still 10 years later my heart breaks, the memories vivid of my time in Louisiana. I came back with the "Katrina Cough" we called it. I hacked for weeks during my waking hours and while I slept. Once in a while, still, if I dream about it I wake up feeling like I've lost my breath, the memories clear in my mind. Wow, I hope nothing, nothing like that ever happens again to any of us. As bad as it was, to be away from my job at ESPN, my family, my dog, my friends...if it happened again right now, today, I would drop everything and head out again. Because, that's who I am. In my heart I know people would come here to help if we needed. Please, don't you forget, I will NEVER forget!