Submitted by Matt Zagrodzky
I was born and raised in Houston Texas and moved my family here four years ago. All week people have been asking us if we feel lucky to be here. Most are surprised by my answer: “No.”
Every single person I know in Houston was either flooded or engaged in helping neighbors recover from the flood. Every. Single. One. It’s heartbreaking to be sitting here in southern California watching and unable to help. I wish I was there.
It may seem hard to believe, but after this crazy week, Houston is moving into a “normal” mode of recovery and rebuilding. For those of you that have not experienced a Texas-style disaster, it can be difficult to understand the range of emotions one goes through during these true times of duress. Hurricanes in Texas are a part of life. They are scary. They are stressful. Most Texans don’t whine about them or wait for someone to take care of us. We prepare, shoulder to shoulder with friends, family, neighbors and strangers. When the storm moves in, some will leave, some will stay. The ones that stay hunker down. We ride it out with our family, faith and hopes for a favorable outcome. When the storm clears, we assess the situation and huddle with one another to create a plan. We go to work. We stabilize and fortify our shelter and seek to offer assistance to those who were less fortunate with their outcome. We become a true community with a common objective. We become one. It is in this situation that you see displays of humanity and basic human kindness that are so uncommon, impressive and intense that words cannot adequately describe.
I have had the true fortune and misfortune of experiencing this several times over my life. It never ceases to amaze me how many acts of heroism and self-sacrifice are displayed during these events. For every news story about one, there are literally thousands more. It does not matter who you are. It does not matter if you are Democrat or Republican. It does not matter if you are black, white, Latino or Asian. It does not matter if you are gay, straight or transgender. It transcends. It cuts through the chaff and lays bare the essence of us all. It restores hope for humanity.
The picture below of a friend of friend (Lisa and baby Sophia Bates) is one of many that capture that hope. An innocent’s outstretched hand reaching for help. Several other hands of friends, neighbors and strangers answering the call. Mom’s reassuring kiss that everything will be ok.
My heartfelt thanks goes out to the first responders, EMS, law enforcement personnel, friends, family and the regular folks that eagerly make this difficult time more livable, tolerable and sane. It makes me very proud to be a Texan.
If you’d like to help the Bates family, you can donate to them directly on their GoFundMe page here: https://www.gofundme.com/yuj57-bates-family
You can donate to J.J. Watt’s Hurricane Harvey fundraiser here: https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053
(I expect he will deliver help to those in need with the same intensity he delivers on the football field).
Or you can deliver to the American Red Cross here: https://www.redcross.org/donate/hurricane-harvey
If you’d like to hug a Texan, and Lord knows we could use one, the San Diego Aggies are hosting a game watching party for the Texas A&M v. UCLA game 4:30 this Sunday at McGregors. http://mcgregorssandiego.com 5% of the proceeds go to Harvey relief efforts.
Much work and hardship remains in the wake of Harvey but Texas will make it! God Bless Texas!
Matt Zagrodzky
