TheMATHIEU BROTHERS

Soul Patrol: 13 Days of Hell, High Water, Survival and Redemption

in the New Orleans 7th Ward during Hurricane Katrina

Day 1: 8.29.05

The Mathieu’s Family home survived Hurricane Katrina. The flood waters rushed into the 7th Ward from a storm surge from MR.GO and a breach in the London Ave. Canal. Rick and Manny had to evacuate their family home, break out their boats.

Day 2: 8.30.05

The 7th Ward, now completely underwater, was now the new southern end of Lake Pontchartrain. Rick, Manny and some of their neighbors relocated to the rooftop of Epiphany Catholic Church’s nuns rectory where the regrouped.

Day 3: 8.31.05

Recognizing yesterday that there were many neighbors who needed rescuing, Rick and Manny began going out on patrols in their own respective boats (the “Bull Croaker” and the “Searcher”) and taking survivors to St. Augustine HS on A.P. Tureaud Blvd. Today, they were joined by two more rescuers who were using Anthony Pierre’s pontoon boat “Noah’s Arc”.

Day 4: 9.1.05

St. Augustine HS became overcrowded so they started drooping survivors off at I-10 & Elysian Fields interchange.

Day 5: 9.2.05

Rick makes his first encounter with military responders, Air Force special forces (CCTs combat controllers), who were knocking down street lights on the elevated interstates so they could safely land helicopters.

Day 6: 9.3.05

Rick ran into USFWS (Lafayette Ofc) and FEMA Urban Search & Rescue members from Phoenix (Arizona Task Force One). He and his team escorted the federal responders on rescue mission throughout the 7th Ward. He then invited them back to his rooftop camp and fed them chicken gumbo.

Day 7: 9.4.05

Rick and his team continued to search the 7th Ward for survivors.

Day 8: 9.5.05

With virtually all those who wanted to leave the 7th Ward gone, Rick began escorted the media, which included the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, NHK, Austin Statesman and CBS’ John Roberts.

Day 9: 9.6.05

Rick also had the gruesome task of tying up dead bodies so they would not float away.

Day 10: 9.7.05

With the arrival of unfriendly out-of-state responders arriving in the 7th Ward from Texas, it became necessary for Rick, Manny and their team to leave the flooded 7th Ward for the dry riverside end of Treme.

Day 11: 9.8.05

Rick giving an interview on Pacifica Radio Network’s KPFK 90.7 Los Angeles to Whittier College student Georgia Hirsty.

Day 12: 9.9.05

The Soul Patrol takes the Whittier College filmmakers back to the rooftop “Camp Epiphany”.

Day 13: 9.10.05

Rick and his team are flown out on the last post-Katrina evacuation exile flights out of Louis Armstrong Airport to Omaha, Nebraska; Delta Airlines Fl. 9775.

Five Years Later: 8.28.10FINALLY HONORED FOR THEIR COURAGE AND HEROISM BY THE RED CROSS AT THEIR

…ARCNO’S “HEROES OF THE STORM” BENEFIT DINNER