Childhood memories lost to Hurricane Katrina: Korey Williams

Saskatchewan Roughriders receiver Korey Williams, who is from New Orleans, says the losses his family suffered from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 continue to resonate.

"I lost everything," Williams said. When the storm hit communities along the gulf coast, Williams was at university in Monroe, LA, about 400 kilometres northwest of New Orleans. Everything he had — back home — was destroyed. "The hard part for me was just going back to see that I no longer had childhood memories anymore."

All the homes from his youth were gone along with all his family's belongings.

"There were no baby pictures, pictures from high school graduation. All those memories ... I lost those," he said.

He said his family did make it through the hurricane intact and are doing OK now.

But even 10 years after the storm visits home are tinged with a sense of loss.

"I have nothing to visually look at," he said. "I can go to a park that I used to play at, I can go to where my old house used to be, but being able to have something to grasp and hold onto — there's not much there."

The experience also had an impact on how he faces challenges in life.

"It's just a part of me that I'll never forget and it just reminds me that no matter what you go through, you can come out of it on top," he said, noting the value of hard work and prayer.

"Wins and losses in football are one thing, but wins and losses in life are much bigger," he added. "Everyone on this team has been through some stuff."

Williams said the experience has also provided him with insight on what others go through, when facing adversity.

"There's other forms of disasters," he said. "We had the hurricane. And to witness it first hand and to lose everything, you don't view other disasters the same way anymore. You're like, 'OK What could I do to help those people who are now going through something that I've been through?'"