Family toasts sheriff for rescuing stricken Aussies - KATRINA'S WAKE: [7 NSW First Edition]
Kevin Meade, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Sep 2005: 1.
Kevin Meade, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 05 Sep 2005: 1.
Abstract
TWENTY Australians remained trapped or missing in the devastated city of New Orleans last night, while another 40 had managed to reach safety in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Bud Hopes, 33, from Brisbane, who is being lauded as a hero for his role in protecting the women, said: "The Australian ethic is don't leave your mates behind. We want to know why the Australian Government left us behind. We just feel totally abandoned," he said, Peter McNeil, Brisbane father of 22-year-old John McNeil, one of the Australians rescued from the Superdome, said Mr Hopes had played an "unbelievable" role in keeping the tourists together and leading them to safety.
An estimated 40 Australians were still trapped in New Orleans last night. So far, 31 Australians are known to have escaped the disaster zone, according to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
Full Text
TWENTY Australians remained trapped or missing in the devastated city of New Orleans last night, while another 40 had managed to reach safety in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Horror stories of the complete breakdown in law and order have emerged from shocked survivors, many furious at the lack of action by the Australian Government.
Elsewhere though, families and friends celebrated news that loved ones had survived the disaster.
One Brisbane family toasted Louisiana sheriff Gregory Champagne, who rescued two sisters-in-law from the nightmare of New Orleans.
Fiona Seidel, 27, and Katie McLean, 25, were trapped for more than five days in their room on the 14th floor of a hotel in the city's French Quarter.
Afraid to venture out into the streets, where looters and dangerous gangs roamed, they were eventually forced to leave the hotel on Thursday after its owner told them he could no longer guarantee their safety. The pair started walking towards a refuge at the city's convention centre more than 1km away.
It was then that they met Sheriff Champagne, of St Charles, a district on the outskirts of New Orleans.
"He deserves a medal," Ms Seidel's husband, Andrew Glendenning, said at the couple's home in Brisbane's north yesterday.
"He was very good to them. He took them into his home."
Sydney woman Denise Drake survived six days trapped in a New Orleans church with little food or water after her home was flooded.
Continued-Page 2
From Page 1
However, the 29-year-old's nightmare has just begun.
Her partner is missing, and with dead bodies littering the streets and armed gangs patrolling the city, she does not know where to start looking.
Her mother, Mercedes Riviera, said her daughter was safe but extremely concerned for her husband's safety.
"She is alive, but she's not being evacuated. Only the injured are being evacuated now," Ms Riviera said yesterday.
"She is OK, but she hasn't heard from her partner -- she doesn't know where he is. I want her to come home, but she is in love."
Meanwhile, serious fears are held for a young NSW family who have not been heard from since the hurricane struck.
Tracey Barron, 33, husband Peter, 35, son Campbell, 10, and daughter Kennedy, 9, last spoke to their family as they attempted to flee from New Orleans.
Tracey's younger sister, Sarah Whitehead, said the family had been stuck in gridlock as they attempted to leave the city and had not been heard of since.
Among those rescued from the squalor were Karen Marks, 25, from Melbourne and her aunt, Pamela Whyte. The four days the pair spent huddled together in the New Orleans convention centre had been "hell on earth", they said.
They were so afraid of being attacked and robbed by thugs roaming the site they took it in turns to have short naps. Karen's mother, Joy Marks, said the pair had been "extremely distressed" by their ordeal.
"Karen thought they had all been left to die," she said. "They reported seeing several people die from lack of food and water."
Also relieved were the family of Sydney women Lisa Van Grinsven, 23, and her sister Michelle, 21, who had been trapped in the crowded Superdome.
Their sister Johanna, 19, said her sisters believed they had come close to death several times.
They were part of a group of women who had been kept safe by a number of Australian men who formed a circle around them.
"The boys found any kind of weapon they could," Johanna said yesterday.
"They were holding umbrellas because that was all they could find to protect themselves."
Bud Hopes, 33, from Brisbane, who is being lauded as a hero for his role in protecting the women, said: "The Australian ethic is don't leave your mates behind. We want to know why the Australian Government left us behind. We just feel totally abandoned," he said, Peter McNeil, Brisbane father of 22-year-old John McNeil, one of the Australians rescued from the Superdome, said Mr Hopes had played an "unbelievable" role in keeping the tourists together and leading them to safety.
WHERE ARE THE AUSTRALIANS?
An estimated 40 Australians were still trapped in New Orleans last night. So far, 31 Australians are known to have escaped the disaster zone, according to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
* Tracey Barron, 33, husband Pete, 35, and their children Campbell, 10, and Kennedy, 9, from NSW's Hunter Valley, were attempting to flee New Orleans but have not been in contact with family since early last week.
* Sisters-in-law Fiona Seidel, 27, and Katie McLean, 25, from Brisbane, were rescued from a hotel in New Orleans's French Quarter and taken to Baton Rouge.
* Denise Drake, 29, from Sydney, is alive in New Orleans but may have lost her American partner.
* Karen Marks, 25, from Melbourne, and her aunt Pamela Whyte - evacuated from New Orleans.
* Queensland 22-year-old John McNeil organised for a group of about 60 foreigners, including 10 Australians, to leave the Louisiana Superdome after an angry mob became threatening - he has now been evacuated.
* Lisa, 23, and Michelle Van Grinsven, 21, from Sydney - evacuated.
* Bud Hopes, 23, from Brisbane - evacuated.
* Elise Sims, 20, from Adelaide - evacuated
* Jack and Gloria Slinger, from Perth - evacuated.
* Denise Riviera, 29 - still trapped in New Orleans.
* Mick Ryan, 25, from NSW - evacuated.
* Yasmin Bright, 22, from NSW - evacuated.
* Rockhampton, Qld, couple Tim and Joanne Miller linked up with another Australian couple, Gary and Cynthia Jones - the four were living in an abandoned New Orleans mall before being evacuated.
*
This is a list of Australians known to have been trapped after Hurricane Katrina and widespread flooding in New Orleans, according to staff reporters and agencies
TWENTY Australians remained trapped or missing in the devastated city of New Orleans last night, while another 40 had managed to reach safety in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Horror stories of the complete breakdown in law and order have emerged from shocked survivors, many furious at the lack of action by the Australian Government.
Elsewhere though, families and friends celebrated news that loved ones had survived the disaster.
One Brisbane family toasted Louisiana sheriff Gregory Champagne, who rescued two sisters-in-law from the nightmare of New Orleans.
Fiona Seidel, 27, and Katie McLean, 25, were trapped for more than five days in their room on the 14th floor of a hotel in the city's French Quarter.
Afraid to venture out into the streets, where looters and dangerous gangs roamed, they were eventually forced to leave the hotel on Thursday after its owner told them he could no longer guarantee their safety. The pair started walking towards a refuge at the city's convention centre more than 1km away.
It was then that they met Sheriff Champagne, of St Charles, a district on the outskirts of New Orleans.
"He deserves a medal," Ms Seidel's husband, Andrew Glendenning, said at the couple's home in Brisbane's north yesterday.
"He was very good to them. He took them into his home."
Sydney woman Denise Drake survived six days trapped in a New Orleans church with little food or water after her home was flooded.
Continued-Page 2
From Page 1
However, the 29-year-old's nightmare has just begun.
Her partner is missing, and with dead bodies littering the streets and armed gangs patrolling the city, she does not know where to start looking.
Her mother, Mercedes Riviera, said her daughter was safe but extremely concerned for her husband's safety.
"She is alive, but she's not being evacuated. Only the injured are being evacuated now," Ms Riviera said yesterday.
"She is OK, but she hasn't heard from her partner -- she doesn't know where he is. I want her to come home, but she is in love."
Meanwhile, serious fears are held for a young NSW family who have not been heard from since the hurricane struck.
Tracey Barron, 33, husband Peter, 35, son Campbell, 10, and daughter Kennedy, 9, last spoke to their family as they attempted to flee from New Orleans.
Tracey's younger sister, Sarah Whitehead, said the family had been stuck in gridlock as they attempted to leave the city and had not been heard of since.
Among those rescued from the squalor were Karen Marks, 25, from Melbourne and her aunt, Pamela Whyte. The four days the pair spent huddled together in the New Orleans convention centre had been "hell on earth", they said.
They were so afraid of being attacked and robbed by thugs roaming the site they took it in turns to have short naps. Karen's mother, Joy Marks, said the pair had been "extremely distressed" by their ordeal.
"Karen thought they had all been left to die," she said. "They reported seeing several people die from lack of food and water."
Also relieved were the family of Sydney women Lisa Van Grinsven, 23, and her sister Michelle, 21, who had been trapped in the crowded Superdome.
Their sister Johanna, 19, said her sisters believed they had come close to death several times.
They were part of a group of women who had been kept safe by a number of Australian men who formed a circle around them.
"The boys found any kind of weapon they could," Johanna said yesterday.
"They were holding umbrellas because that was all they could find to protect themselves."
Bud Hopes, 33, from Brisbane, who is being lauded as a hero for his role in protecting the women, said: "The Australian ethic is don't leave your mates behind. We want to know why the Australian Government left us behind. We just feel totally abandoned," he said, Peter McNeil, Brisbane father of 22-year-old John McNeil, one of the Australians rescued from the Superdome, said Mr Hopes had played an "unbelievable" role in keeping the tourists together and leading them to safety.
WHERE ARE THE AUSTRALIANS?
An estimated 40 Australians were still trapped in New Orleans last night. So far, 31 Australians are known to have escaped the disaster zone, according to Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
* Tracey Barron, 33, husband Pete, 35, and their children Campbell, 10, and Kennedy, 9, from NSW's Hunter Valley, were attempting to flee New Orleans but have not been in contact with family since early last week.
* Sisters-in-law Fiona Seidel, 27, and Katie McLean, 25, from Brisbane, were rescued from a hotel in New Orleans's French Quarter and taken to Baton Rouge.
* Denise Drake, 29, from Sydney, is alive in New Orleans but may have lost her American partner.
* Karen Marks, 25, from Melbourne, and her aunt Pamela Whyte - evacuated from New Orleans.
* Queensland 22-year-old John McNeil organised for a group of about 60 foreigners, including 10 Australians, to leave the Louisiana Superdome after an angry mob became threatening - he has now been evacuated.
* Lisa, 23, and Michelle Van Grinsven, 21, from Sydney - evacuated.
* Bud Hopes, 23, from Brisbane - evacuated.
* Elise Sims, 20, from Adelaide - evacuated
* Jack and Gloria Slinger, from Perth - evacuated.
* Denise Riviera, 29 - still trapped in New Orleans.
* Mick Ryan, 25, from NSW - evacuated.
* Yasmin Bright, 22, from NSW - evacuated.
* Rockhampton, Qld, couple Tim and Joanne Miller linked up with another Australian couple, Gary and Cynthia Jones - the four were living in an abandoned New Orleans mall before being evacuated.
*
This is a list of Australians known to have been trapped after Hurricane Katrina and widespread flooding in New Orleans, according to staff reporters and agencies
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