Hurricane Katrina - Pearlington, Miss., Oct 2005

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A headless Virgin Mary sits atop the steps of what led to St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pearlington, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Ana Weidie of Pearlington, Miss., explains what happened to her 200 year old home after it was flooded by a nearly 30 foot storm surge from Hurricane Katrina August 29, 2005.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington, Miss., resident George Ladner surveys the damage to his hom.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington resident Tim Smith.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A crucifix watches over the remains of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Pass Christian, Miss. The stained glass windows of the Apostles remained intact while the others shattered from the wind.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Ana Weidie of Pearlington, Miss., prays during Sunday morning mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pearlington October 2, 2005. Weidie's 200-year-old home was heavily damaged by the storm surge when Hurricane Katrina roared ashore August 29.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Old friends greet each other with a hug at the recovery center at Charles B. Murphy Elementary School in Pearlington, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Celebrating mass despite the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, St. Joseph's parishoners Camille Lichtenstein, left, her daughter-in-law Eunice Lichtenstein, Father Jim O'Bryan, and Ana WeidieSt. Joseph's church lifted off its foundation and floated to the middle of the road during the storm surge from Katrina. Work crews destroyed the remainder of the church when they clearedMississippi route 607 of debris.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - After unloading the heavier equipment, Terry McShane of Carbondale tests a chainsaw at the Pearlington, Miss., storm shelter and aid station Friday afternoon September 30, 2005. McShane quickly left to help resident Ben Taylor cut down a pine which had fell onto his well.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington, Miss., resident George Ladner talks on the pone outside what used to be his home.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington resident Margaret Ladner outside her home. Every structure and home in Pearlington, Miss., was destroyed, or heavily damaged by a 20 to 30 foot storm surge.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A U.S. flag outside a demollished home in Pearlinton, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington, Miss., resident Tim Smith continues to clean out his home one month after Hurricane Katrina.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Looking through boxes of donated clothing and toys at the Pearlington recovery center at Charles B. Murphy Elementary School in Pearlington, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington, Miss., resident Hillary Furey hangs laundry as children scramble around her feet.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A roof from a gas station several blocks away landed in a shopping center along Interstate 10 showing the heavy damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A sailboat rests on a road 1/2 mile from the nearest sailable waters.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A yacht rests in the woods off Interstate 10 nearly a mile from the closest water.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Only the metal beams and sheeting of the Pass Christian Catholic Church remain. The storm surge from Hurricane Katrina broke all window, except stained glass feature the 12 Apolstles, cleared out all the pews, and also destoyed a one tn marble altar.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A crucifix watches over the remains of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Pass Christian, Miss. The stained glass windows of the Apostles remained intact while the others shattered from the wind.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Very little remains of the waterfront in Pass Christian, Miss., after the storm surge from Hurricane Katrina decimated the area.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - The remains of Gold Medal Bakery in Pass Christian, Miss., after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the waterfront.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Motels, hotels, and apartments were destroyed in Pass Christian, Miss., when Hurricane Katrina decimated the waterfront.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A home in Waveland, Miss., questions Hurricane Camille as once the strongest hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast. The damage from Hurricane Katrina was far more devastating.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Figuring out the sign-in process, Johnnie Robinson of Pearlington, Miss., attmptsto get a fan and some cleaning supplies at the distribution center Friday morning September 30, 2005.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Helping her daughter Lea-Lah, 9, get some clothes, Ivy Watson holds up shirt to see if it will fit while shopping at the Charles Murphy Elementary distribution center in Pearlington, Miss., Friday afternoon September 30, 2005. Ivy said her home was moved off its foundation and is now on both sides of 10th street.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Helping her daughter Lea-Lah, 9, get some clothes, Ivy Watson holds up shirt to see if it will fit while shopping at the Charles Murphy Elementary distribution center in Pearlington, Miss., Friday afternoon September 30, 2005. Ivy said her home was moved off its foundation and is now on both sides of 10th street.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Father Jim O'Bryan gives prayers and thanks during church services on the site of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pearlington, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pilings from a decimated harbor rise out of the Mississippi Gulf in Pass Christian, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Damaged items sit outside the Pearlington, Miss., home of Anna Weidie.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Pearlington, Miss., resident Anna Weidie traverses a beam as she attempts to get to the other side of her damaged home.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Ana Weidi wipes a tear as she explains the history of her home and what happened to it during Hurricane Katrina.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Mementos are stacked on a fireplace mantle at the home of Ana Weidie in Pearlington, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Ana Weidie of Pearlington, Miss., explains what happened to her 200 year old home after it was flooded by a nearly 30 foot storm surge from Hurricane Katrina August 29, 2005.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A butterfly rests on a flower outside the home of Ana Weidie of Pearlington, Miss., on Sept

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Mounds of debris line the roads of Pearlington, Miss., one month after Hurricane Katrina roared ashore bringing a 20 to 30 foot storm surge.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Terry McShane of Carbondale, Colo., checks out the trees surrounding the home of Ben Taylor in Pearlington, Miss., on Friday afternoon September 30, 2005.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Cars line Highway 43 near Bay St. Louis, Miss., after Hurricane Katrina.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - With several stacks of files retrieved, Bay St. Louis, Miss., accountant Paul White takes a break from the hot sun and his salvaging duties to drink some water outside his Boardman Avenue home Saturday morning October 1, 2005. White's home was destroyed in the storm surge produced by Hurricane Katrina when it roared ashore August 29th.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - A makeshift bar along the shore in Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - The CSX railroad across St. Louis Bay lies in ruins in Bay St. Louis, Miss., on Oct. 1, 2005, a month after Hurricane Katrina roared ashore

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Homes along U.S. 90 in Pass Christian, Miss., were totally destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and the 20-30 foot storm surge and high winds associated with it.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Frank Barber of N.J., takes a breather from volunteering to checks out the damage to U.S. 90 from Hurricane Katrina as it crosses St. Louis Bay from Bay St. Louis, Miss., October 1, 2005. He says his wife works for the state of New Jersey as a civil engineer in bridge design and that he's can't believe the damage caused by Katrina. "I'm absolutely amazed at teh energy it would take to destroy this bridge," he said and added that he "can't comprehend the forces at work to cause this damage."

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Surveying the damage to downtown Bay St. Louis, Miss., David Wages of Columbia, Miss., pauses from working on the CSX Railroad bridge across St. Louis Bay Saturday morning October1, 2005. The Scott Bridge Company supervisor said damage from the hurricane shut down the railroad's major route across the south.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - Piles of rotting clothes fill a tennis court along Menge Avenue in Pass Christian, Miss., on Oct. 2, 2005, one month after Hurricane Katrina. Distribution networks for relief efforts have been in disarray with many donations being thrown away or simply abandoned.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - In spite of all the destruction of Hurricane Katrina surrounding them, Father Jim O'Bryan of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pearlington, Miss., gives his sermon Sunday morning October 2, 2005. St. Joseph's church lifted off its foundation and floated to the middle of the road during the storm surge from Katrina. Work crews destroyed the remainder of the church when they cleared routhe 607 of debris.

Pearlington Oct. 2005

©Paul Conrad/The Aspen Times - In spite of all the destruction of Hurricane Katrina surrounding them, Father Jim O'Bryan of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Pearlington, Miss., gives his sermon Sunday morning October 2, 2005. St. Joseph's church lifted off its foundation and floated to the middle of the road during the storm surge from Katrina. Work crews destroyed the remainder of the church when they cleared routhe 607 of debris.