By Kara Witsoe

Floods decimated coastlines, 170-degree winds sliced through the air, and storm surges battered the Gulf Coast in late August 2005. Over a million people living in the Southeast were injured, killed or displaced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, while countless homes and businesses were destroyed. Landscapes were irreparably damaged, and lives were changed forever. 

It was into the devastating after-effects of one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in US history that Des Church walked just a few weeks later. She’d seen the inconceivable images of destruction and felt called to help. The Red Cross needed volunteer mental health counselors, and she signed up to serve. She took a two-week leave from her job as a school counselor to offer much-needed support and care for those living in temporary housing in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. 

Even after the hurricane passed, Katrina’s impact was vast and widespread. Besides dealing with the physical damage, many people were experiencing mental health consequences like grief or anger over their loss, and fear or hopelessness when thinking about rebuilding their lives. Some developed post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. Most felt overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin. 

Counselors like Des shared advice on dealing with stress management and parenting during a crisis, developing self-care techniques, and managing the first stages of shock and grief. They also connected survivors to resources that would help them heal, rebuild their lives, and work toward long-term recovery. Des met with homeless shelter residents for 14 hours a day in the stifling heat and humidity at Southern University’s sports arena. With her innate compassion and skills, she created a comforting, trusting environment for people to share their accounts of tragedy and loss. 

“The shelter residents needed people who would listen as they repeated their stories. There was such a sense of helplessness and loss of security. Some wanted a sense of normalcy to return to—like a group of ladies I was able to accompany to a church service at their request,” Des said. “This provided such comfort in a time of chaos.” 

Des stayed in Baton Rouge for two weeks, then went with a few people from the shelter who wanted to check on their houses in New Orleans. The city, which was hit especially hard by Katrina, was unrecognizable. Levee failures led to catastrophic flooding, which inundated 80% of the city with water up to 15 feet deep in some areas; hazardous materials spilled into the environment, and buildings were demolished. It wasn’t safe to visit or stay in many of the neighborhoods. Despite the danger, she supported some of the survivors who just wanted to go home, if only for a few minutes. 

“One day, I accompanied five men who wanted to see their residences. It was all in shambles. Some places looked like a bomb had gone off. Most had no plans to stay at their property. However, sadly, one guy decided to stay. ‘It’s my home,’ he said. I could see water lines and mold, but he couldn’t be persuaded. I gave him some food, water, cleaning supplies, and a big hug. I was very concerned for his welfare, but I had to respect and accept his decision. That was so difficult,” she shared. 

Twenty years later, the imprint of Katrina remains on the landscapes and lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Several were forced to abandon their houses and jobs and start over in different cities or parts of the country. They lost their sense of belonging and home, and many still grieve their lost loved ones, friends, communities, and lives before Katrina. Natural disasters affect far more than the physical environment. Fortunately, there were counselors like Des to provide emotional and mental health support for survivors during one of the most difficult times in their lives. 

Twenty years later, Des continues to help those affected by disasters across the country. In the past few years, she’s been to Maui and California multiple times to help people displaced by devastating fires, as well as to Guam to aid survivors of Typhoon Mawar. She’s still happy to serve. 

“To this day, deployment is my passion,” she said. “I’ve learned in 20 years, though there are core concepts and practices, no deployment is the same. I learn something from every one of them. I continue to volunteer because I love helping people, and I want to make a difference.” 

The Red Cross always needs mental health counselors like Des who are willing to share their time and expertise in deployments throughout the country. If you’d like to help individuals or families affected by major disasters in other ways, you can donate online or apply for one of our many different volunteer positions.