Bill Neely, PDAT member, visited the Presbytery of South Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. He asked that her story be written, as she has one of many survivor stories coming out of New Orleans.

Upon speaking with Patrice Williams of Securitas U.S.A. (currently working as the security guard for the Presbytery of South Louisiana Office),

Patrice at the presbytery office in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Photo: Donna Cuquet

we realized that she and nine family and friends (Patrice, Peter, Derrick, Jr., Jessica, Appollo, Harry, and three of her father's friends) were stranded in New Orleans in the flooded area of New Orleans on Spain Street for four days. After being told busses were coming, but never seeing the busses or military personnel and getting no response to their 911 calls, they pushed her father’s flooded truck to her house on Marais St., higher ground. There they emptied the flooded gas tank, added new gas and changed the watered-down oil in the truck.

They all packed themselves into the truck and went up Claiborne Ave. to I-10 then to I-12 and drove themselves to Denham Springs. Once in Denham Springs, she contacted her employer, Securitas U.S.A., and was sent to work at the Presbytery of South Louisiana office.