They lived on 1808 Tricou St. and 1328 Kentucky St. in New Orleans, La. Gwendolyn Lewis and her children Crystal Lewis and Tharnell Lewis left Aug. 27 with Tharnell's wife Carissa Encalade, wife to Tharness, and their two children Clayjon and Cortez Lewis. Together they left Saturday the 27th of August, 2005. Traveling 15 hours for a 5 hour drive, they had to stop at the hospital when the ventilator keeping Cortez alive, ran out of oxygen.

The family found shelter at Broadmoor Assembly of God Church in Shreveport, La., and have been there ever since. Carissa started a job at Wal-mart, and the support from the church has been overwhelming.

But they are as ready as they will ever be to start their lives all over
“Their ain’t nothing like your own. The welcome is good but their ain’t nothing like your own,” said Tharnell of what he left behind. In addition to their house, Carissa’s father drowned, Gwendolyn went for days before hearing from her daughter and grandkids, and all of their personal possesions are no longer, “everyting went underwater.”

Carissa said, “It’s like a nightmare. I am just waiting to wake up from a bad dream.”
This is their story.

photos and audio by Nathan Morgan
production by Patrick Yen