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To all our dear friends, neighbors, and wonderful past guests: From: Diane Brugger My daughters have been responding to your e-mails and if anyone hasn't received a reply, I apologize. Some of the responses came back undelivered, and as most of you know, I am P.C. illiterate. That was Tony's job!! |
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This will be brief, as every time I even start I have great difficulty getting past the 2nd sentence. The night before the storm, we had the house clean, ready, & well supplied to take care of any evacuees the police might bring to us. Darlene (our housekeeper) and I had been preparing food all day and throughout the night we were feeding the EMTs and police. As we were 33 ft. above sea-level and Camille never made it into the house, we arrogantly believed we were safe. We took a brief nap at 3 a.m. Katrina had been taken down to a CAT 3. We were up at 5a.m. and from 5-9:30 a.m. it went from bad to unbelievable. There were tornadoes and all of our plywood over the doors and windows were ripped off or blown out. We were in a 2nd floor bedroom (the one w/ the American Airlines bathroom). At this point the surge came. We thought it already had come. The house started breaking up into 4 or 5 pieces. Both houses on either side were already gone. We were attempting to get to the billiard room to step out into the water when our apartment broke from the main house. We were in Tony's workroom at the top landing of the back stairs when the ceiling collapsed. Tony was caught in the corner and was taken down under the water. Tony's high craftsman tool chest fell on top of Mark (Darlene's husband) and Tony's workbench and metal shelves fell on top of me and Harley. Darlene, (how we'll never know), got the tool chest off of Mark and I was able to get out from under the workbench and shelves with Harley. I know Tony was already helping us. Ivan, Truman, and Mattie were already on top of the debris that Mark, Darlene, and I had just stepped out onto. The debris eventually wedged into the 3 oak trees behind our apartment. I remember all of us "dancing" on the debris to keep from getting our feet wedged in it. It was here we lost Harley. Once in the tree, Darlene climbed up to the top, then Mark, then me. We enter-twined fingers, toes, and anything into the vines to hold on. I was able to still "dance" on the top of the debris. We just had to be careful because the tress started to give away and the vines would loosen then tighten up again (afterwards we saw a huge sink hole at the base of the trees we were in where the trees were about to fall). Those trees could have fallen so easily, but Tony was working hard (watching over us). While in the trees I noticed spools of my thread wedged into the bark and thought about trying to extract them-I might need them later!! Bt this time we were all into hypothermia. When the waters receded (it was so fast-less then a half hour) I lost sight of the other 3 puppies. I thought I lost them. My stove was at the base of the tree. The bottom drawer was open with all the lids to my pans. Again, I thought, "Good, now I just need to find my pans!" Darlene and Mark (who suffered a 4 1/2 inch skull fracture when he was hit by a 4"x 4" - I saw it happen) went to get help and I just hunkered down behind the stove to get warm and wrapped up in an old tablecloth hooked onto barbwire. Darlene and Mark came back with help and from that point on I was overwhelmed by the love, support, prayers, and blessings from those dearest to me to complete strangers. Ivan, Mattie, and Truman were found the next day and we are all together here in St Louis with my family. My daughter, Kathy and her husband John are also here with us and they are safe. And Tony is still with me (in spirit). We will be having a memorial service for Tony on October 15th at The Old Cathedral (in St. Louis, under the Arch) at 9:30 a.m. with a celebration of his life at my sister's home afterwards. The Old Cathedral is where Tony and I were married 37 years ago. I don't know what I will be doing after everything is settled. I do know I want to visit each and every person who has been dear to both Tony and I. I promise to update the website as often as possible. Bless each and every one of you for your prayers and support. It's been an honor knowing you and to have you in our lives. Diane Brugger
Since Tony loved animals we are asking, in leiu of flowers, for donations to be made in Tony's memory to:
P.S.
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Harbour Oaks Inn is a member of the following associations:
Mississippi Gulf Coast Bed & Breakfast Guild
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Harbour Oaks Inn 126 West Scenic Drive Pass Christian, Mississippi 39571 (228) 452-9399 (800) 452-9399 Fax: (228) 452-9321 email: 
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