OT - Mickey's parents are safe

[RealMickeysGirl]

My inlaws are here with us and they would not be if DH had not driven from Montgomery to Gulfport Tuesday morning to get them. Their house had 6 ft of water from the storm surge - their house is about a block off the beach on the Longbeach side of Gulfport. They had been told - from what should have been a reliable source - that the hurricane would be a category 2 with storm surge of 13 ft when it hit - they have stayed under circumstances like that before and were ok. After their power went out they had no way of knowing that the storm did not lose strength or how high the waters would get.

DH was able to drive to their house because the son of a neighbor of theirs has heavy equipment had cleared the street to his mother's house and to the front of my inlaws house. The national guard was setting up road blocks when they left. They know they will not be able to get back in to salvage what little they can for some time. They are not letting anyone back into the neighborhoods - it doesn't matter that their road has been cleared and that their house is sturdy - authorities don't want people going back into unsafe houses.

DH filled his trunk with water and peanutbutter and bread before going down there and passed out what he could to other neighbors who had rode out the storm. Hopefully, they have been able to get out by now. Some had family in other parts of MS trying to get to them to bring them out - I just hope they were allowed to do so.

They have lost most all their posessions but they are safe. You don't know how releaved I was when I got that phone call - when he finally got far enough out to get a cell signal - that said "I've got them and we are heading back, they are ok".

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

So happy to hear some good news. Glad they are safe!! Your in-laws are lucky to have such a wonderful son, and you a wonderful hubby!!

 

[onedisneylover]

my heart goes out to anybody who has family that has been through this, or has been in it themselves.

it truly is a horrible thing!!! we got the first part of it, and miami-dade county was not supposed to get much of it, but it dipped last minute and went to miami instead of our county. we were very lucky.

that is the one thing i fear the most is hurricanes. they are truly devestating. we, in this county in florida have been really lucky to have dodged the bullet many times (knocking on wood), that some people think it is a joke and they don't prepare. i really hate that. i hope from katrina that people listen and do what they need to do to prepare.

realmickeysgirl...i am glad that your family is ok.

 

[JudithM]

RealMickeysGirl, I am glad to read your inlaws are safe with you. I can only imagine how relieved you felt when your husband finally got cel service.

It is hard to imagine how out of touch people get when they have no power. We went through this during Hurricanes Floyd & Isabel when we had no power. During & after Isabel my cousin in FLorida kept calling me with updates from the Weather Channel. I never realized what storm surge was until Isabel.

 

[Spinning]

so glad to hear they got out and all safe and that your husband made it home safe. I just can't imagine the emotions your family must be going through.

 

[holycow]

yeah, for your DH...that is really wonderful that he was able to get down there...so glad they are safe and sound....my heart is so heavy watching all of the news I'm so glad to come to the DIS and hear something heartwarming!

Holycow
lisa

 

[New England Eeyore]

So glad to hear.

 

[party of 3]

so happy for you that everyone is safe.

 

[wuv tigger]

I'm praying for all for their recovery

Judy

 

[goofymom/pop]

Glad they are safe.....

 

[wtpclc]

GLad they are ok. This whole thing is unbelieveable. Even more unbelieveable when you think people are lucky when they lost their homes. Really makes you appreciate how good you have it. Thanks for the good news!

 

[jenny2]

Thank goodness they're safe! The lucky ones are just people who escape with their lives.

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts. We will probably go down to the house one day next week to see what can be salvaged and remove what we can. I don't expect it to be much. I have some photos from their house that my MIL took during and after the storm. I will try to upload them later today and post a link.

DH's step brother took them to his house near Atlanta Saturday. He has a two story house with a bedroom, bath, living room and dining room that they don't really use on the lower level (they do use the kitchen and den on the lower level). He said that MIL and FIL can use it as a little appartment until they decide what they want to do. They are not sure they want to move back to the coast. I am hoping that they will choose some cute little town between Montgomery and Atlanta so they can be closer to us and closer to BIL.