Reliving Katrina five years later

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Hundreds of people from Northeast Indiana helped with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort and five years later the memories are still fresh on their minds.

Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in August of 2005. It is called the worst natural disaster in United States history. The storm caused extensive damage in Mobile, Alabama, Biloxi, Mississippi, and Slidell and New Orleans in Louisiana.

Two months after the storm hit, Dr. Mike Cook led a group of 60 students and faculty members from Taylor University Fort Wayne to Slidell, Louisiana to assist in the relief effort. Cook said he still remembers the sights and sounds on the first bus ride into the city.

"It almost looked as though a bomb had gone off and just snapped the trees as the explosive wave moved out from the center," said Dr. Mike Cook, he assisted in the relief effort.

Cook and his group helped clean and rebuild houses. They also passed out food and clothes to those who needed them. Cook said listening to the stories of the people from Slidell is what he'll remember most about the trip.

"They really were just attempting to process exactly what had happened, and what they were coming back to, and what they experienced," said Cook.

Chris Laney, owner of Water Out in Fort Wayne, also traveled to the Gulf Coast to help in the relief effort. Laney and workers from his emergency restoration company revived hotels and large businesses in Long Beach and Gulfport, Mississippi.

"It's always a great feeling when you can go and help somebody in a disaster situation. To walk in there and know that doing what you are doing is some of the first steps you need in order to get their home or building back together," said Chris Laney, owner of Water Out.

Cook lived in New Orleans for eight years before Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. His wife is from the area, and he still has family there today. Cook and his group were able to help some of his family remembers rebuild after the storm hit their homes.

"It's been particularly gratifying to see the people in that region really begin to bounce back," added Cook.

Katrina killed more than 1,800 people, and caused more than $80 billion in damage.