Spring Break
Student credits text messages for saving sanity
Tahman Bradley, Contributing Writer
Issue date: 9/8/05 Section: COVER
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"We are facing a storm that most of us have long feared," said a grim New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, ordering a mandatory evacuation of the 485,000 residents. Later that day, Cutno received a solemn call from her mother. She was leaving their home for Mississippi; in effect, abandoning everything they had known for years. Cutno's other immediate family members scattered toward Houston, Baton Rouge and Georgia. When the colossal storm hit Saturday with winds of 160 miles per hour, power lines were destroyed, cell phones with 504 area codes went dead and Cutno lost contact with her family. Already distressed by not having a housing assignment and financial aid problems at Howard, Cutno now had to attempt to begin a new school year uncertain of the whereabouts of her family.
"I was trying to put a smile on my face like everything was okay," Cutno said. "I was trying to be like 'It's not that bad,' even though I was watching the news."
But Monday, Aug. 29, brought a ray of hope. Cutno would first learn that she could send and receive text messages on her cell phone. Shortly thereafter, Cutno sent frantic texts to just about all of her family members and friends.
"I was like, 'Mom please call me. I love you. Do you have lights? Do you have food?'" Cutno said.
Cutno reached her dad shortly after the storm hit. He was O.K., but her mother was still missing. Cutno then began to make contact with her cousins, her aunts and uncles. Finally, Monday, she received word from her 18-year-old sister-in-law, TaDasha in a text message, dated Aug. 30 at 8:58 pm:
Hey, I'm fine. I'm in Franklyn (Franklinton), La. Have you heard anything from anybody?"
Thirty-six minutes later, Cutno received another text message from her sister: "Dis Dasha. Water is everywhere. I lost my house 'cause da 9th Ward (and) da east Westbnk (Westbank) is gone. Whe is ur mama? Have u heard from any 1?"
More text messages started pouring in-- each one more and more distressing. At 9:58 that evening:
"Me 2 I saw dead bodies, damage, water chest
(high). It look worst n person than on TV. But its gonna b alright."
The next morning, Tuesday, Aug. 31, while Cutno tried to brave class, TaDasha sent another message. This time about the status of Cutno's house. The message was clear and concise: