Surviving & Thriving After Hurricane Katrina: Health Story

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, July 16 and October 29, 2006

Show 318

During Hurricane Katrina-- the deadliest hurricane in history-- Linda Trueblood lost both parents. But she didn't lose hope. Showing amazing resilience, Linda, her husband and their children, resettled in Milwaukee, WI. They adjusted well to their new home, with the help of American Red Cross trauma specialist Victoria Wise. "Many evacuees now have a new school system, new cultural expectations and new friends. All this change can provoke trauma," she says. The American Red Cross provided 800,000 metal health contacts in 2005. Bud McKonly of the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the Red Cross says, "Thirty years ago, we didn't have a mental health function. Now, we realize how important that is. Even when a victim is physically OK, the trauma of the event itself can have a far reaching impact on their lives." "You fear the unexpected, but after time there is relief and gratitude," says Linda of her experience with Katrina. "During the initial stages of trauma, there may be numbing. You really don't believe what is going on. Then comes anxiety and sadness," Victoria says. "The greatest thing you can do for someone after a disaster is provide social support." And this is exactly what happened to Linda. "A whole community adopted us, took us in. In spite of tragedies, there's still hope. There are still good people in this world."