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From: "Marsha McWilliams" <rmmcw(a)effingham.net>
To: "Ardath Blue (E-mail)" <ablue(a)tisd.net>,
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Subject: FW: (no subject)
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 1999 10:26:33 -0500
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Thought you might enjoy this as much as I did.
Marsha
-----Original Message-----
From: Roy L. Park [mailto:roubideau@netzero.net]
Sent: Friday, September 17, 1999 9:59 AM
To: PARKS-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Fw: (no subject)
WINDS OF KINDNESS
This hurricane evacuation has been one of the most horrible
experiences of my adult life.
500,000 to 1,000,000 automobiles, trucks, boats, motor homes and
campers, all in a line, on every street, road, and highway and all headed
West out of harm's way. The 178 mile per hours winds of death were blowing
at our backs -- looking to suck up and destroy everything we have worked so
hard to accomplish, not to mention all that we hold dear to our hearts.
As I traveled down Highway 82 from our home in Brunswick, Georgia, to
Waycross, with my wife, son, daughter-in-law, friend, six dogs, three cats,
all packed into three small automobiles -- none of us realized that only an
hour down the road an even bigger, faster, larger wind lay before us.
Traffic was so backed up that we never traveled more than six miles
per hour nor did we ever move forward move than 500 feet without having to
stop. I reached over and turned on the C.B. radio to see if there was an
accident ahead.
Suddenly I noticed a woman and her friend stranded along the road with
their hood raised. Their car had overheated. People were jumping from
their cars and dropping off gallons of their own drinking water to the
woman. As we passed, giving her another gallon of water, the woman was
pouring water into her radiator when it spewed back into her face scalding
her on the side of the head. Immediately three or four strangers jumped
from their slow moving cars to rush to her assistance, offering her towels,
and several men came over to cool her radiator for her.
Another mile or so down the road a trucker came on the radio and asked
if there was anyone who could tell him where he could stop and get a soft
drink -- he had nothing to drink as all the stores were sold out of
beverages or closed. A voice responded and asked him his location. He
replied that he was passing road marker 19. The voice came responded and
told him to look on sign post 21 when he drove by it. Suddenly horns
started blowing which could be heard for miles. As we passed marker 21
there sat a cold refreshing Mountain Dew on top the marker.
People who would ordinarily be pushed to their limits were jumping
from their vehicles trying to help anyone and everyone they could. When we
finally arrived in Waycross nine hours later (a drive that would normally
take about 35 minutes) we had no where to go as all the motels for three
states were full. We slept in the automobiles with all the animals. It
was also one of the most restless nights I have ever encountered but we
made the best of it.
The next morning we arose at about six o'clock and just stood around
with thousands of other stranded people. It was cold, cloudy and the wind
was blowing at about 45 miles per hour. Along comes the local electric
company, asking us if we need any help finding a local shelter. We could
not go to a shelter because we had animals and we were not about to leave
our pets, even if it meant warmth and hot food. There were no restaurants
open for fifty miles so there was no hot food and we could not find any
bread as all the stores were sold out. So we just ate what we could and
made the best of it.
Several hours later an African American woman drove up and stopped
where we were huddled and said, "I know you do not know me from Adam but I
would like to invite you to my home to take a hot shower and clean up if
you wish."
As we traveled to her home we talked about her new WebTV and how proud
she was of it. My son and I, being WebTV wizards, left her house that day
leaving her unit packed with search engines, folders, web sites and as much
stuff as we could get into her unit. Not to mention signing her up as a
new Heartwarmers4u member!
When the authorities gave the all clear we headed back to our warm
sweet home. Yes, it was a bad and dangerous experience and one that I
never wish to repeat.
But the strong winds that were ahead of us yesterday were the winds of
kindness, friendship, courtesy and love. Not even the dangerous winds of
this deadly hurricane could ever change the determination, the fortitude or
the compassion of the wonderful people who make this country as great as it
is.
AMERICA, I am so proud of you!
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