I was in basic training when hurricane Katrina hit. I remember the drill instructors asking if anyone was from the Louisiana or surrounding states and they got

I was in basic training when hurricane Katrina hit. I remember the drill instructors asking if anyone was from the Louisiana or surrounding states and they got to make a special call home. Not having any connnections there myself I didn’t realize it was way worse than a typical hurricane until over a month after it happened. Not active actively learning about the tragedy as it unfolded made learning about it later feel very disconnected. Sort of like hearing about a destructive event from history rather than a current event. I’m sure, though, this experience was very different for those who had some connections to the region and were more personally impacted by the aftermath.