Harvey brings back memories of our AA Angel...

In September, 2005, I met an outstanding woman. Her name was Louise and she was a victim of the horrendous Katrina Hurricane. She had literally lost everything. She was also a long time member of Alcoholics Anonymous. From the first minute we met her we were amazed at her positive attitude and her thankfulness at being a survivor. She never complained and fit right into the AA way of life attending three meetings a week faithfully.

Before long she decided to do some volunteering and she became a valuable member of the Red Cross organization. She even spoke to civic groups ...reliving her Katrina experience for their edification and helping to raise money for those remaining victims.

Her cheerful and humble persona was a great addition to our AA meetings and it never occurred to us that this wouldn’t continue for years, but then the unthinkable happened. Her cancer, unknown to any of us, came out of remission. The first half of her second year was spent with radiation and chemotherapy treatments and she became bald as a cue ball. She still went to her meetings and never once complained. Our little day to day misfortunes seemed to fade away in comparison as we watched her bravely face each hurdle.

In year three she had another remission but it lasted less than 3 months. Not once in that time did she bemoan her circumstances. She told us over and over how lucky she was to have survived the storm and to have found refuge with all of us. In the fourth month she became extremely fatigued and short of breath, but she insisted on making her meetings and, barely 24 hours after her last meeting, she quietly passed away.

She was an AA ANGEL who literally blew into our lives, in the wake of KATRINA and she taught us acceptance, humility and an abiding love. Those of us who were lucky enough to have known her will be forever blessed.