Sandra Auzenne lived in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward and loved her life as a Senior Driver for the Regional Transit Authority. She says her life wasn’t perfect, but it was full and rewarding, even rich in soul and spirit. That was all put to the test when Hurricane Katrina came ashore. The RTA asked Sandra and nine other senior drivers to shuttle evacuees out of New Orleans to Baton Rouge. She made the trip, back and forth, several times for many days following the storm. While she was helping others, Sandra’s own home was destroyed and she lost almost everything except her family, who was living with her on the shuttle bus.
After two weeks, exhaustion and reality took its toll. Sandra decided to come to Houston to find her missing brother and pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Despite feeling abandoned by the RTA, Sandra discovered her core beliefs were intact and her faith was unshaken. She found a new job and new life in her new hometown. She’s grateful to Houston for opening its arms and giving her a fresh start on the rest of her life.
For more information or if you would like to tell your story to KUHF, contact Paul Pendergraft at PPendergraft@KUHF.org.