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MAMA'S BODY JUST KEPT FLOATING BESIDE ME A true experience of a victim of Hurricane Audrey, from the book "HURRICANE AUDREY" by Nola Mae Ross "Mamma was so afraid of water," says Louanna Theriot, who was 16 at the time of Hurricane Audrey. "And when our house broke up and we were thrown into the water, she wouldn't even grab onto anything. She just gave up. She said she was going to drown. So I grabbed her and kept her with me on a piece of board. "But the water just kept flying into mamma's face and she did drown. I was still holding onto her. After a while, I had to let go of her body because I couldn't hold her and cling to the board, as I was tossed through the raging water. The wind was pushing me so hard and fast I could hardly breathe. I was so scared! And so alone. I'd seen my dad drown when the house broke up. Several times I became so exhausted that I decided to give up. Then I'd look over and see mamma's body. She was still floating beside me even though I'd let her go. So I'd reach out and grab her hand. That gave me the courage to go on. "After an unbelievably terrible day when I was tossed for about 15 miles across the marsh, the wind finally died down. I saw a little piece of land poking up in front of me. It turned out to be the bank of the Intracostal Canal. "At last I knew I'd be safe, so I reached back to grab mamma's hand. But she wasn't there! It was like God had left her with me just to give me courage to make it through the day. And now she was gone. "I looked up land and saw someone in a tugboat in the canal, so I started up the bank. That was when I saw the bank was full of moccasin snakes! I froze! I turned to run the other way and there were more snakes. To top it off, while I was waiting for the tugboat captain, who was starting toward me, a mad cow suddenly dashed down the bank and ran right into me! She hooked me and pushed me back into the water. I still have scars today where her horns encircled me, cutting and scraping under each arm. Fortunately, by this time, the captain was near enough to grab me and carry me to his boat. Later, I found out his name was Percy Primeaux. He's still a real hero to me." Want
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