It’s the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its hard to forget the flooding, loss and evacuations that took place.
“It was definitely a shock for someone who was ten,” said LSU junior Cisco Gonzales.
Gonzales is a LSU student born and raised in St. Bernard Parish. His family is part of the 80 percent of residents who left their home to evacuate. The evacuation process to Monroe was difficult, especially when his family lost track of his great grandmother who had Alzheimer’s.
“I remember being sick because I was so worked up worrying about everyone,” said Gonzales.
For a month, Gonzales’ family worried about his grandmothers whereabouts but received a phone call that she was transported to Georgia safely.
 “They transported her to the airport and then from the airport she remembers being in a helicopter going to Georgia,” said Gonzales. “I mean, it was very tragic to hear that this 90-year-old lady had to go through this.”
Hearing that family and friends made it through the storm was comforting but having to return to his childhood home, that was flooded with 8 feet of water was a challenge.  
“We lost basically everything,” said Gonzales. “I remember my mom was so traumatized because she left pictures and all the pictures that she left ended up going under water and we couldn’t save them.”
 Gonzales’ home along with 130,000 other houses were damaged from Katrina. Now ten years later, amidst vigils, memorials and painful memories is controversy. A Chicago Tribune reporter posted a tweet saying she wishes Hurricane Katrina hit Chicago which caused an uproar on social media. LSU student Anna Giurintano says comments like these are hurtful.
 “Its pretty hurtful a lot of people were saying ‘just leave don’t go back like why are you going to go back, you know its going to flood again,’” said Giurintano “You can’t just tell me to never go home, that’s just crazy.”
 Hurricane Katrina caused 2,000 deaths and about 135 billion dollars worth of damage to the city but despite the loss, Gonzales said he learned a valuable lesson.
 “Tangible things can be replaced people cannot,” said Gonzales. “Being someone who survived two storms within seven years on the same date, exactly the same date at the same time; you learn that things can be replaced, people can’t”