Hurricane Andrew 1992

I was surfing and read about that hurricane Andrew and brought memories about it. I remembered that time, I was very sick which I had bad inflammed C- section . My DD was only 3 weeks old, newborn. It was in my hometown, New Iberia, LA. We had to packed and left our home to our nearby friend (brick house) by the bayou. My mom's house that we don't think it would be there after the storm. We stayed there over night. OH my gosh, it was terrible.. We had to stay away from windows and stayed in large living room. It hit during nights. THe lights went out. But the phone line still worked! In the morning, my brother called us and let us know that our house is fine and no damaged only four pine trees broke in half. We went back home.. NO electric for 5 days. It was so humidity and hot. I never forget that.
During that night when Andrew made the landfall that night, RedRose's friend was in the hospital that was about to have baby. The baby girl arrived that night!

Look what I surfed and found that picture..

I was at Ft Polk, LA at that time. I remember it being pretty wild after it came ashore.

Awesome picture, Mini. I have an old photo somewhere of a 2x4 penetrating a palm like that from a hurricane, only there was absolutely NO sign of a split. Just like a needle through the tree.

Think what that would to a person.

That is right about my friend had a baby girl in the hospital with none electric for 2 days so hot in there but she go for it to have baby anyway everything went fine with her and the baby.
My trailer was bad shape so terrible had to stay with my friend for over three weeks to get another used trailer from Fema $$$ so happy to be our home that really tough time when we has 4 kids never forget.

This message was edited Sep 2, 2004 4:39 PM

My Late husband lived in Homestead during Andrew.. Boy the stories I have heard. They were without lites for 8 weeks. Ivan left me without lites for 22 hours after I returned home.. that was enough for me. The clocks were flashing so I don't know how long they were out then. Things in my freezer were still frozen solid so guess they wasn't out long. We were lucky with Ivan as we didn't have any damage.

i was in vero beach for andrew.
course I was out in the day before it hit land... the waves were most excellent.

Right before Hurricane Andrew hit, I moved to Atlanta GA from Satellite Beach FL. Before moving, I went on a trip to the Keys with a friend. On the way home I asked if we could stop by my childhood home on the Homestead AFB and we weren't sure if they would let us in the base. They did and I was amazed at how small that home was and how much bigger it seemed as a child. The palm tree that my mother had planted was the only thing remaing in the garden. My mother had extensively planted and repeatedly won "yard of the month" in that home and I'm sure that's where the roots of my love for this started. Shortly after I moved to Atlanta, Andrew hit and I heard that the base was devestated and being closed. I felt so sad for all those people and I was so glad that I had been able to see that home once before that all happened. It made me realize how impermanent all structures can be. I wonder what is standing there now?

Susan McCoy


This message was edited Sep 28, 2004 10:34 PM

Susan, I cannot even remember all the past homes I have re-visited, and I am always amazed at how small they were. We were also a military family so there were lots of them, both on base and with family when my Dad had sea duty.

I'm amazed that they have brought back (somewhat) Fairchild Gardens, a real treasure in that area.

Hey there Darius,

I lived there from right after my birth in Lubbock TX, till I was 7, but until I turned 21 and moved here, it was the longest I had ever lived anywhere due to my father being military. (And then the shuttle exploding) I don't remember Fairchild Gardens... Is that the rock garden place that one guy mysteriously created and they don't know how he moved tons and tons or rock?

Susan McCoy

Fairchild Gardens is one of the world's preeminent botanic gardens, with extensive collections of rare tropical plants including palms, cycads, flowering trees and vines. It's down between Coral Gables and South Miami, if I recall correctly. There's a good size public beach close by where we'd often go for family picnics. Key Biscayne was much farther away.

http://www.ftg.org/index.html
http://www.ftg.org/resource/n_history.html

Oowww Wow!

Susan McCoy

Thanks for making this topic Mini!
I have heard several stories about Hurricane Andrew, but I dont remember the time though. I was only 4 years old, and live in Finland so.

And mazing picture, that picture tell the power of the hurricanes. I have to show that to my friends.

I visited in the Fairchild garden on last January with my dad. Amazing place! It was in so good shape, and I couldnt even believe that a Hurricane went throught it!

Ah, Susan... I finally remembered the name of the beach... Matheson Hammock!

Mitjo, there was major destruction of Fairchild Gardens from Andrew and they lost many irreplaceable plants.

Early stories of south Florida and the Keys tell many tales of Dr. Fairchild and his "collections" long before Fairchild Gardens was built to house them.

Susan, were you ever from Texas?

Hi Karrie,
I was Born in Lubbock , Reese AFB, moved soon after. After the space shuttle exploded, we moved from Cocoa Beach Fl, to Saginaw, just north of Fort Worth and we lived there for two years until the shuttle program got started back up and moved back to FL. I graduated high school there (Saginaw) in 88.

So, even though I was born there and graduated from high school there, I only spent two years of my life there... So I wasn't really "from" there. Now that I've lived in this area since 91', I consider this home.

Susan McCoy

Susan, where the housing on the base was, was in the north section of of the base and bordered on Moody Drive. I don't know if you remember, but there was a gate east of the main gate called "Florida gate". My daughter lived on the other side of Moody Drive from that gate and lost her house in Andrew. The base housing was rubble, hangers blown open, tower almost blown totally down. Now they have cleared all the base housing and fenced and planted it for a public park. The southern section of the base is for an Air Force Reserve unit. Also DEA, Immigration and Customs have facilities there. The Air Force Reserve has rebuilt their own housing and they have a PX (?). After 911 it REALLY became active, and I used to go down to my daughter's house (rebuilt), sit on the roof and watch the action!! What a show!
Pati

Wow Pati, Thanks for sharing that. I do remember Moody Drive. (I think) I went to the elementary school right outside the base and it was surrounded by wooded fields. When we went back, it was all developed with homes. There use to be a field across from the base and my mom would stop by this roadside farmers stand and I remember the best tomotoes from there. .... it was all gone when I went back.

I'm glad that they turned it into a park. That makes me feel great about my moms garden having been there and now its a park.. Thanks for sharing that.

Susan McCoy