Hurricane Forces Family Reunion

By Darius Radzius
Reporter / WJHL
Published: September 1, 2008

A local couple who moved here from New Orleans to open a restaurant is opening their doors to hurricane evacuees.

“Here we go again,“ said Kevin Cook, Hurricane Gustav evacuee.

Families flee from New Orleans, with three-year old memories still fresh from a storm that broke levees and devastated the city.  Cook had a house three blocks from one of them.

“My house took 14-16 foot of water during Katrina and Rita, so I lost that house,“ said Cook.

Cook and his family rode out that storm and this one with family in Johnson City.

“I thought they were going to stay a week or so, but they ended up staying for months,“ said Terry Russo, Johnson City resident and former New Orleans resident.

Terry and Liz Russo moved up here a year prior to Katrina to open up a restaurant.  Three years later, mother nature again arranged for a family reunion.  Just like last time, those from back home are on edge.

“In everybody’s mind is now are we able to go back will there be a New Orleans left,“ said Russo.

All eyes are on the levees.

“Watching the water come over the tops is really scary.  You’re crossing your fingers that everything holds,“ said Russo.

Cook’s unsure what he’ll find at home, but he’s sure it won’t be like last time.

“I know I’m not going to see the flooding like it did, because it hasn’t done that yet,“ said Cook.

The cooks left for the Tri-Cities last Saturday, but are unsure when they’ll be able to return.