Surviving the Storm: Krysteena Broussard’s Story of Family, Strength, and Survival

A City Underwater

On the eve of August 29, 2005, 13-year-old Krysteena Broussard sat in her aunt’s second-story apartment, listening to the howling winds of Hurricane Katrina rip through New Orleans. She was surrounded by family, but fear hung thick in the air.

The water rose fast—twelve feet of it swallowed the streets, rushing into homes, trapping people on rooftops, and cutting off any hope of escape. Krysteena’s family had planned to evacuate, but her grandmother, the matriarch of the Broussard family, refused to leave her home. She had built her life in New Orleans, raised nine children there, and no storm was going to force her out.

Krysteena’s mother begged her to reconsider, but in the end, she had to make an impossible choice: stay and risk her children’s lives or seek higher ground and pray for the best. With a heavy heart, she gathered Krysteena and the rest of the family, finding refuge in her sister’s apartment along with dozens of other trapped residents.

A City Drowning, A Family Holding On

In those first hours, survival instincts kicked in. Neighbors banded together, sharing what little food and water they had. But as the floodwaters settled into an eerie, stagnant sea, reality began to sink in.

What if no one comes?

They had floating devices—makeshift rafts and life vests—but for the non-swimmers, fear took over. The water was dark and full of dangers—alligators, snakes, and debris. Some panicked at the thought of leaving the shaky safety of the apartment. Others held onto the hope that rescue teams would arrive soon.

For two days, they waited.

The heat was unbearable. The smell of the floodwater grew worse. Children cried from exhaustion and hunger. Adults whispered prayers under their breath.

Then, the sound they had been waiting for—the deep, steady thud of helicopter blades slicing through the humid air.

Rescue was finally here.

A Reunion Against All Odds

As they prepared to board the helicopters, emotions ran high. Relief. Fear. Uncertainty. But nothing compared to the shock of what happened next.

In the crowd of evacuees, someone spotted a familiar face—Krysteena’s grandmother.

Tears spilled as they rushed to embrace her. Against all odds, she had made it out. They never knew if they’d see her again, and now, in the middle of a city torn apart, they were together.

The Broussards had lost their homes, their belongings, their sense of normalcy. But in that moment, they had something stronger—their family.

The Journey to Houston: One for All, and All for One

The Broussard family traveled together to the Houston Astrodome, where thousands of displaced families sought refuge. While some evacuees arrived alone, devastated and lost, the Broussards arrived as a convoy of thirteen or more.

They had no roadmap for what came next, but one thing was certain: they would face it together.

Through Katrina, then Rita, through loss and uncertainty, they embodied the old saying:

“One for all, and all for one.”

Their story isn’t just one of survival—it’s a testament to the unbreakable bond of family, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, love and resilience can light the way forward.