Featured Visitor: Do This For My Birthday Present"
"I am the Jennifer that Mark mentions in his story – for two and a half months after Hurricane Katrina I deployed volunteers to both Tylertown, Mississippi and then to Celebration Station, in New Orleans, after which I returned to my normal job as a Tour Guide. Mark tells the story much better than I ever could – so with some deletions for length – here is his experience."
On the 29th of August, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall in southeastern Louisiana. By mid-September, I began making calls, sending emails and checking Web sites trying to find out how I could support the efforts of FEMA or any other service or support agency. I wanted to not just send money but physically go and contribute with my labor. My frustration grew as the stories of suffering seemed to continue almost relentlessly.
My wife Robin, knew about Best Friends rescue efforts in New Orleans and asked me if I would consider helping with the animal rescue. Robin knew she would be unable to assist in the animal rescue effort because of physical limitations. I said absolutely I was interested and she contacted Best Friends to find out how I could help. She passed information she was given on to me and told me about the Best Friends Web site where there was a volunteer form I could complete. I completed the form and in less than 24 hours, Jennifer called me back. She said yes, they needed help and reviewed basic requirements for volunteers. She gave me directions to Tylertown and asked when I could leave. I held the phone and turned to Robin. Her birthday was only a few days away and in over 20 years, we had never been apart on her birthday. She said, “Go Mark. Do this for my birthday present.” I turned back to the phone and told Jennifer, I’d be in Tylertown in 2 days. I honestly, had no idea how deeply this trip would affect me.
I met and worked with some of the kindest and most dedicated people I have ever met. And things that impressed me the most were the level of organization, under conditions of stress and hardship, that people demonstrated and the compassion people showed for each animal, not just those injured, emaciated and hungry for companionship but also for highly defensive dogs displaying evidence of a history of abuse. This was remarkably demonstrated by one image that will last forever in my memory. As each of thousands of animals was found an information sheet including date, location, condition, breed, sex and behavior was completed and remained with each animal as it was moved to collection points and passed to Tylertown. Upon arrival at the rescue camp in Tylertown, at any hour of the day or night, in ones or by the dozens, each animal with its sheet was assessed for shock and needs for emergency care, triaged by voluntary vets, assessed for behavior, bathed, groomed and photographed. While I was there, one large black mastiff was recognized online by his owner, a New Orleans police officer, who had been ordered to stay on duty when the levee had catastrophically broken. He owned 2 dogs which were in his home. After several days of being required to stay on continuous duty, he was able to return home, finding his home largely destroyed, one of his dogs dead and the other missing. Heartbroken, he assumed his mastiff was dead as well. When his dog was found and he learned of it online, now 5 weeks after the hurricane, he phoned Best Friends and drove to Tylertown to be reunited with his dog. Many of us took a short break from our work to see him arrive. He got out of his car on the dusty road in the middle of the rescue camp and his dog saw him from 50 feet away and with all of us watching, as this big police officer stood there crying, through all the people gathered there, his dog ran straight to him, stood on his hind legs and at nearly face level, licked his owners’ face over and over. I think every one of us watching was crying. Tears well up in my eyes now, remembering this scene. Knowing that scenes like this were repeated thousands of times is a testament to the remarkable impact Best Friends made in the lives of animals and their owners after this tragedy in New Orleans.
Having participated in a small way, I feel deeply humbled to have seen the dedication of all those Best Friends staff who not just responded to the tragedy of Katrina but who created a dynamic organizational structure, effectively using the Internet, enabling so many people around the world to participate in what was a remarkable, massive volunteer effort.
After dark, the evening of Robin’s birthday, I phoned her from someone’s cell phone to wish her Happy Birthday. Back in Wisconsin, she was running errands after work and so I got our home voice mail. As I started to let her know I’d call her back, everyone around me, probably close to 35 people in all, started singing “Happy Birthday, Robin!” This message was left on our answering machine and was the best surprise Robin could have. She saved it until I got home and I recorded it over to my computer and saved it as an audio file to replay on her future birthdays.
It was very difficult for me to leave Tylertown. Among others, I wish to extend a special thanks to some I met and worked with: Bill, Gary & Amy, Liz, Seth, Charles, Chris, Gretchen & Amanda. [And Gretchen & Amanda, I hope Vance is doing well!] As I left and pulled back onto the highway headed north, I brought with me 13 cats and one cute little dog named Bitsy (that Liz had taken under her wing). Shortly before I left, Bitsy’s family was located in Topeka. I drove my car load north to St. Louis with Bitsy in her own cage on the seat beside me. In a parking lot, I transferred my cats and Bitsy to a waiting car for Bitsy’s relay to Topeka and to new homes for the cats. After unloading my car in the dark and seeing the other car drive away, I parked my car and sat there crying. I don’t think I know why. I can only tell you that this experience was remarkable for me and I’m grateful. I’m grateful to my wife, Robin, for her deep, emotional connection to animals and who found this opportunity for me. I’m grateful to all those wonderful people I met. And somehow, I’m grateful to all the animals I met who in their innocence, remind us of the opportunity each of us has to be compassionate to others and maybe understand part of what connects each of us to each other and the natural world around us.
After all this time, in late September 2008, Robin and I had the chance to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary by taking a vacation in southern Utah. We stopped in Kanab to visit Best Friends. We had never been there and visiting there had been a long time wish of Robin’s. At the Welcome Center, Jennifer, who spoke with Robin and me on the phone three years ago, somehow recognized our names. She gave us and a group of fellow visitors, a tour and asked if we would share our story. Robin and I are both honored to do so. We are grateful for the work Best Friends does every day and I know my brief experience sharing time in Tylertown was a remarkably meaningful week in my life. Again, thank you.
Written by Jennifer Johnson and Mark Evans