- Laurie Jeansonne is living in a borrowed camper in the driveway of her Pearl River, La., home until money comes through to begin repairs. She decorated the camper with Christmas lights because it will be her family's home through the holiday season. She's thankful for the relief supplies they received from a North Stafford church. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

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Reasons to hope, dream

Families in Gulf Coast states working to rebuild their lives

Date published: 12/20/2005

By RUSTY DENNEN

Free Lance-Star photographer Rebecca Sell and reporter Rusty Dennen returned to the battered Gulf Coast this month where they caught up with four families they met two weeks after the hurricane. Here's how the storm victims are coping with their common bond of loss.

PICAYUNE, Miss.--Like thousands of Katrina kids, Morgan and Matthew Wood have covered a lot of ground.

A four-month odyssey took them on a plane and train from their home near a swamp in Slidell, La., to Spotsylvania County and back to their parents, James and Kristy.

For now, they're living with James' father in this rural Mississippi outpost. There are 13 people in the house, including other relatives left homeless by the storm.

Matthew, 6, is in his third school this year, and it has been hard on him, Kristy says.

"He understands a lot more than people give him credit for," she said.

Four-year-old Morgan, a preschooler and Shirley Temple look-alike, clings to her mom and her stuffed toy duck.

James, a roofing contractor, hurt his back and hasn't been able to work. Kristy has just completed courses in information technology and hopes to land a computer job. Meantime, she's working inspecting roofs for a contractor.

The Woods wisely evacuated to Texas to ride out the storm, knowing that it could wipe out their trailer near Pearl River.

They returned a few days later, with a generator, but found the neighborhood devastated and their trailer badly damaged.

Making matters worse, there was no electricity, no water, no stores open, no school.

So they sent the children to live with Kristy's sister, Nichole Gregory, and her family in Holleybrooke in Spotsylvania.

The children returned to Louisiana in mid-November.

"Things are getting a little better. We talked to FEMA and in two weeks we should have a trailer," Kristy said, to put on several of acres a friend is allowing them to use rent-free in Mississippi.

Eventually, they want to save up enough money to buy some land or build a home--far away from the coast.

They hope for better days, James said.

"There are still people living in tents out here. We're millionaires compared to them."

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Date published: 12/20/2005