City - Houston State - TEXAS Country - United States
About
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In high school class during the early ?60s, I saw pictures of Europeans refugees in magazines about the 2nd World War.
During the ?70s, as a combat-photographer covering the Vietnam War, I witnessed Vietnamese refugees every day, killed and alive.
In 1990, my family and I landed Seattle Tacoma Airport as refugees ourselves. Also in this decade, I saw pictures of Kosovo refugees again on TV. In my mind, citizens of all countries of the world can be refugees with empty hands running away from their houses; anyone can be displaced, except the US citizen in their rich and safe country. Now, the truth verified that I am wrong. You are looking at the picture I took of the first American refugees I saw last night as they walked off the buses with their properties, waiting for being admitted at the west entrance of the Astrodome. This little boy is among the "lucky" one of the 25,000 victims who were fortunate enough to make it to Houston. He has just been dropped off to begin the admissions process into the dome shelter. Hurricane victims are finding in the 131,000-square-foot Astrodome some things they haven't had for days ? cots, running water and air-conditioning.
Talking to his mother, I found out his daddy took them to safety in New Orleans Superdome, then swam back home among the bodies floating around him in New Orleans' flooded streets to get some more belongings, and never came back...
Based on early reports, we understand that Hurricane Katrina has seriously impacted many people and families. Our deep sympathy and heartfelt concern go out to all of the victims of this terrible disaster. When a disaster of the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina strikes and the news broadcasts images of broken, battered and destroyed homes, it is natural for the public to be eager to help their neighbors ? whether they?re across town or across the country. The first priority is meeting the urgent, critical needs of nearly 42,000 which include providing emergency shelter, food and water. You can help the victims of this disaster by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. Call 800-HELP NOW. Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org/
hi, thank you for posting your firsthand image...i urge you to post the one you shot inside the dome so that our global community here at UF can see at least a portion of those in need...i greatly admire your efforts in helping to spread the word,Ngythanh...this is a powerful image,too...best regards,gayle
Thank you for posting this image and 'about'. A very telling image representave of so many thousands. I'm rather dismayed that here on UF, in camparison to the tsunami disaster, it has garnered so much less attention, though there have been some nice posts to bring attention to it. A call for aid to the tsunami victims was carried on UF home page for some time and this situation is no less serious with even more people in need. I join you in asking everyone to do what they can to assist with donations. In addition to American Red Cross, Salvation Army and Feed The Children are two great orgaizations. If you have not seen it, you might like to go to this forum thread: http://www.usefilm.com/photo_forum/22/911808/
I have seen this all to well here... Watching it on the news, it is simply unbelieveable. The human mind can not process such devistation unless you are in it, and even then, it is still mindshattering. I pray so hard for these people, the thousands of people homeless. As the headlines have said all over "This is Out Tsunami" and boy isnt that true... There was a man on the news yesterday that broke my heart. He got right up to the camera and started to cry. He said, "People, please help us, please save us. My 4 children are dying" It showed 4 little black children ranging in ages from about 6 to a newborn. It just breaks my heart to see this. God its just so helpless. Praying Praying Praying... Please donate and help these people survive, rebuild, and overcome... www.redcross.org or www.1800salarmy.org
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