Galveston Resident Merri Edwards Blog #4

Davar Iran Ardalan, Senior Producer

It's been a little more than a week since Hurricane Ike barreled through Texas. Officials are beginning to allow the more than 40 thousand residents of Galveston to return home and assess the damage. Last week, Liane Hansen spoke with Merri Edwards -- a local historian from Galveston. She and her family evacuated to Houston on the eve of the hurricane, and she's been giving us updates here on our blog. Liane checked in with Merri now that she is back in Galveston.

Liane: What did you see when you went back to your home in Galveston?

Merri Edwards: I saw a mess. A friend of ours had told us that it looked like there was about three feet of water on the outside of the house. It had looked like some of the furniture had moved around when he was able to see through a window. But, it didn't mean anything to me. I just couldn't imagine what he was talking about. There are not many pieces of furniture in our house that did not move. I had a couch that had floated up the steps, a bed that is sitting on its end. I had an enormous plumeria in my backyard that was just full of blooms this summer, and there is little evidence that it was ever there. There are piles and piles and piles of carpet, appliances, furniture; you know all the stuff we live with piled in people's front yards waiting to be picked up.

Liane: Did you lose a lot of personal stuff?

Merri Edwards: Oh, yes.

Liane: Books. I imagine you're a historian.

Merri: Oh, lots and lots of books. I had a nice collection of children's book from my childhood, my children's childhood, and others from that I've collected through m grandchildren. They're all gone; they were on the bottom shelf for easy access for the kids. All of my research notes were underwater.

Liane: Have you been able to talk to some of your neighbors who did not evacuate about what it was like for them to weather the storm?

Merri Edwards: Well, I had an email from a man who lives in our neighborhood and he said that before the eye, he had just a little bit of water in his house. After the eye passed over he ended up with about 2.5 to 3 feet of water in his house.

Liane: Has anything positive come from this?

Merri Edwards: Yes, well, our roof didn't leak! I'm very glad about that. We won't have to make tough choices about what to save and what not to save, because it is very, very obvious. On a different level, people are so nice, and so kind. I have been overwhelmed by not only the kindness of strangers, but the kindness of people I've known for a long time. Our families have been wonderful.

Liane: When we talked to you last week, you said that you might leave Galveston for good. You weren't sure then what the damage what the damage was going to be. Is this still your plan?

Merri Edwards: Oh, yes.

Liane: Have you thought about where you will go?

Merri Edwards: We don't know yet. We will stay in Texas, but we haven't decided where we want to move. I expect there will be many people leaving the island.

Liane Hansen: Merri Edwards is a resident of Galveston, Texas who evacuated during Hurricane Ike... she joined us on the line from her step-daughter's home in Austin, TX.