Big Boy Chill Remembers Hurricane Rita, 10 Years Later [PHOTOS]

Kanye West’s Late Registration, and an advanced copy of Paul Wall’s The People’s Champ thankfully got me through several agonizing weeks of being away from home, due to Hurricane Rita ransacking my beloved city, Lake Charles. Ten years later, here’s what I (Big Boy Chill) remember.

Sept. 26, 2005, just short of a month that Hurricane Katrina left agony, death, and destruction in its path on the City of New Orleans, the intense Hurricane Rita hit Lake Charles. The Category 5 Atlantic Hurricane caused not only the evacuation of the citizen’s of Southwest Louisiana, but also the evacuation of those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We accepted many of those affected by Katrina and housed them at the Lake Charles Civic Center, Burton Coliseum, the McNeese Recreational Sports Complex, and more.

In early September of 2005 I made the conscious decision to quit my job of six years at the 3rd Ave. Market Basket in Lake Charles, but only after I was promoted to full-time night jock on 107 JAMZ.  After just a couple of days into my new position and my second to last semester at McNeese, Erik Tee suggested that I evacuate with my family as soon as possible, so I bounced!

My family and I rode out the storm with relatives in Jeanarette, La., where we experienced gale forced winds, heavy rain, and some broken tree branches. We went without power for maybe one day at the most, but it was still hot with 10 people in one house.

After several weeks of cleaning the roads of debris, the city and parish officials opened the highway and roads for residents to return town to check on their homes and businesses. There was a curfew, so you either came into town to stay, or return to where you were until further notice. I had a media pass, so I could pretty much do what I pleased, but only within reason of course.

Our home didn’t receive much damage, but the landscape took a big hit. An uprooted tree blocked our driveway, a portion of our privacy fence was knocked down, the neighbors steel carport blew away, but our carport didn’t budge. Due to the extended power outage throughout the region, contents of the fridge contained the most atrocious odor of spoiled food, and so did everyone else's fridge and deep freezer.

Upon inspection of our private workshop located north of Interstate 10, in Goosport, La., we discovered the tin roof had fallen on the east and north side of the building. High winds or an alleged tornado in the area blew out one of the walls. What happens when wind gets trapped? It has to go somewhere, and out the other wall it went.

We lost a classic Mustang when the beam of the buildings roof landed smack dab in the middle of it, basically leaving a giant crease in the cars roof. Crap. A classic Chevy Camaro Z-28 we were storing for my fathers friend was saved, thanks to the coincidental location of an old fridge behind the car. The beam landed and rested on top of the fridge, just inches over the cars roof. *Wiped sweat from forehead* You can see some of the actual building damage in the photo gallery at the top of the page. My father was saddened, but was thankful all of the other cars we had stored we’re ok. A few expensive tools and accessories were stolen, but it was to be expected considering the damage to the building exposing the contents with no one around and no fence around the property. The level of crime in the area at the time didn’t make it any better.

I remember so many things about Hurricane Rita, even sleeping at the radio station in an office for a day or two because I had no power at home, but what resonates in my mind the most is the resilience of my fellow resident’s and leaders of SWLA to get our city back functioning as quickly as possible.  Let’s not forget APEX Broadcasting Lake Charles (Now Townsquare Media Lake Charles) and their extreme role in keeping everyone far and wide up-to-date on what was happening in Southwest Louisiana. I’m proud to have been apart of that effort.

Sidetnote: I’m highly thankful for the assistance we were given following the storm, but I would like to forget the tons of MRE’s, can’s of Chef BOYARDEE and Beanee Weenee, and those terrible snickerdoodles they gave away with the daily food rations. Yuck.