Texas Strong

While most of the world knows of the state of Texas, we are a proud state, but what people don't understand is what it means to be a Texan. In light of hurricane Harvey, I've never been more proud to share of my people or the place I grew up.

While most of us read about tragedies all over the world, our hearts break for those people but we never imagine it would be our own homes. Never imagine it would be our friends and family suffering.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Texas southern coast on August 25, 2017 in between Port O'Connor and Port Aransas. As a Category 4 hurricane, it was producing winds of 130 mph with torrential rainfall. As Harvey surged northeast along the coast, 58 counties were affected until it destroyed Houston with flooding, one of the United States largest cities with a population of 2.3 million. As the sun finally rose on August 29 in Houston, it had already experienced over 50 inches of rainfall which had displaced over 30,000 people with an additional 17,000 rescues. Hurricane Harvey has been the worst storm the U.S. has seen in 12 years.

Now let me ask you, what do you do in a tragedy like this? You know that fishing boat you take out on the weekends, neighbors were hitching them up by the thousands headed to Houston to rescue people trapped in their homes. That lifted pickup you like going mudding in, friends and family were loading them down with supplies, headed to the coast to provide relief. Store owners and home owners were opening their stores and homes to give survivors a place to rest their weary heads and bodies. Those who had the equipment were speeding along highways to go and rescue someone's furry best friend. A police officer battling cancer was out there every single day despite his own health saving the people of Texas. If someone could help, without a second thought, were on their way to make a difference. Everyday civilians working alongside our first responders, no thought on ethnicity, political views or religion. It made no difference, we didn't care, as long as we saved or helped as many as we could.

I personally got to work beside these incredibly brave men and women and the absolute love and support from every area in Texas would bring tears to your eyes. Those Texans who have ventured far and wide were there with us, helping from all corners of the world. People consider us Texan because we live here, but being Texan goes so much deeper than that. It is a state of mind. The size of our hearts and spirits match the size of our state. We've always watched out for each other and reached out a helping hand. It's ingrained into our DNA as true as we know the bluebonnets will take over the hills in the spring. We will rebuild and we'll come back stronger than ever because we're Texan. And Texans are Texas strong.