A native of the Gulf Coast, Douglas P. deSilvey [duh SILL-vee] , 60, lives in Gulfport, Miss. It's where he met his wife, and where they raised their daughter. Beginning his recollection of the last days of August, 2005, deSilvey says, "The story I want to tell today is about my family." Speaking of his wife, daughter and mother-in-law, Nadine, deSilvey says, "The three women in my family have steered my life for the past 59 years, to the man that I am today." Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the family retreated to deSilvey's mother-in law's house, as they had for many storms. But a look out into the bay behind the house convinced deSilvey that the water would rise too high. As he tried to warn his family about the danger, the roof collapsed. DeSilvey's wife, Linda Allen deSilvey, 57, and daughter, Donna K. deSilvey, 35, died, as did Linda's mother, Nadine Allen Gifford, 79, and her husband, Edward "Ted" Gifford, 79.

A native of the Gulf Coast, Douglas P. deSilvey [duh SILL-vee] , 60, lives in Gulfport, Miss. It's where he met his wife, and where they raised their daughter. Beginning his recollection of the last days of August, 2005, deSilvey says, "The story I want to tell today is about my family." Speaking of his wife, daughter and mother-in-law, Nadine, deSilvey says, "The three women in my family have steered my life for the past 59 years, to the man that I am today." Before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the family retreated to deSilvey's mother-in law's house, as they had for many storms. But a look out into the bay behind the house convinced deSilvey that the water would rise too high. As he tried to warn his family about the danger, the roof collapsed. DeSilvey's wife, Linda Allen deSilvey, 57, and daughter, Donna K. deSilvey, 35, died, as did Linda's mother, Nadine Allen Gifford, 79, and her husband, Edward "Ted" Gifford, 79.