The Brief
- Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina, twin brothers who evacuated New Orleans as children have become a doctor and a lawyer in North Texas.
- The brothers, Jamal and Jarvis Garner, believe the storm gave them a new path in life, which led them to their respective careers.
- Their proud mother, Wanda, credits God and the family’s church community in North Texas for her sons’ successes.
DALLAS – Friday marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, taking more than 1,800 lives. The storm also forced thousands to relocate from the only home they’d known.
But for at least one single mother, it was a blessing in disguise. Her twin boys grew up to become successful men in North Texas with opportunities she never would have dreamed.
Evacuating New Orleans
Wanda Garner recalled the day her 10-year-old sons, Jamal and Jarvis, helped change her might about evacuating before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2005.
“I worked for the post office and I worked at night. So that Saturday night, it was so funny. My sons watched the news. They’re watching the weather while I’m at work. And I got off at 11 o’clock and they are like, ‘Mama, we need to leave because the storm’s coming,” she said.…