Twice this summer, our city’s traumas made national headlines. The second time, unthinkably high waters and decimated homes flashed for a few moments on national TV and in the pages of major newspapers.
But only a small part of what was really happening was told.
What the rest of the country didn’t know was that while the water was still rising, Baton Rougeans acted immediately to help each other. People whose homes didn’t flood opened them up to dozens of strangers. Ordinary citizens became first responders, movie studios became shelters and recreational boats became emergency vehicles. Everyday people became heroes. This is a small sampling of those previously untold stories.
