'He will not let anyone forget the smaller communities like Baytown'

“My son, Pablo Antonio Picacio, is a first sergeant military police officer at Fort Hood. He has been ordered to put together a platoon to provide rescue efforts for those affected by the hurricane. He informed me that Fort Hood is assembling the biggest Army relief effort in history. He has been at the command center there coordinating the movement.

“My ex is retired military, so Tony has been a military kid since birth. He has been in the Army for 17 years. He has been on several tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, Korea and other locations. He was in Saddam Hussein’s palace during the takeover. Every time he deployed he was in danger. One day gone was too long. The deployments taught me to pray differently. I used to pray selfishly for the safety of my son. I had to learn to pray for all his soldiers because they are a family, a band of brothers and sisters who never leave anyone behind.

“I know they have to set up their command center in Katy. Hopefully, by the end of the week, he may get to us. I know he will not let anyone forget the smaller communities like Baytown. He is an absolute fanatic about his state of Texas. He would give his life to defend her. And now knowing Harvey has hurt his mama, he is serving with a vengeance. He will stop at nothing to defend, protect and serve Texas. I am so proud of him. I am encouraged by his strength and commitment.”

— Norma Picacio-Jones

Norma and her husband, Bren Jones, along with their rescue dog, Sophie, had to evacuate their home this week because of flooding.

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences related to this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

'He said that our children needed him to save me'

As Hurricane Harvey delayed the start of the school year in Baytown, it also put at risk many local students, teachers and coaches. Among those were Bren Jones and his wife, Norma Picacio-Jones. Bren, the head football coach at Goose Creek Memorial High School, ventured into deep waters to help rescue members of his coaching staff and their families.

“My girlfriends and I were relaying messages to Bren about the coaches and teachers who needed help. As we sat waiting, I thought about how at 6:15 a.m. when he left, all I had fed him was the Nexium and blood pressure medicine I shoved in his mouth after he brushed his teeth. I didn’t even send him off with a bottle of water after a quick kiss. I selfishly begged through phone texts for him not to endanger his life, knowing well that he never thought of himself. He promised me he would return. I had to believe him because he had saved me and (our dog) Sophie first.

“I think now about how much I fought and argued with him the night before we left our flooded home. I did not want to leave. I told him I was going to go to our top floor or the roof if I had to, but I was not going out in that flooded street to drown. I saw my brother drown at South Padre Island, and his body was never recovered. Bren knew my fear. But he begged me to go with him because he said that our children needed him to save me. He asked that I believe him. My daughter, Claudia, called me from Fort Worth and begged me to be strong and to listen. Bren and I argued long and hard. In the end he won. He promised me that I wouldn't die, and I waded in that water until he got me into his truck. Later on, I thought about how much I wanted to feed Bren food and to send him out again to save others. But before he came home, our new temporary home, he drove to Kroger in Pasadena to stand in line to buy food.”

— Norma Picacio-Jones

Bren drove around in his truck for nearly 12 hours to assist with rescues, including those of GCM assistant head coach Bobby Locke, his wife, Jennifer, and their two children, and coach Cody Robertson and his girlfriend, Kiersten Newman. He also contacted his other coaches to ensure they were safe.

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts on this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

'It's very humbling to see a community finally come together'

As flooding from Hurricane Harvey forced many families to evacuate their homes and be transported to community shelters, helping hands were ready to bring a semblance of normalcy to their lives.

“As soon as I walked in my first question was, ‘What do we need?’ As one of the other volunteers was telling me, I was posting it on Facebook and asking people to share. Because at this time, we had no blankets. We had absolutely no food to give these people. We had no socks. We had no dry towels. We had no clothes. We had nothing but a roof, tables and chairs, and some working bathrooms. But as soon as people in our community heard about the need, that’s when the walls of destruction came down and the overflow of blessings came in.

“And some of the volunteers who showed up were going through their own devastation. Yet they dropped everything to come in and help people that they didn’t even know. Those are the heroes. Those are the servants. Those are the ones who are unselfish. I saw many, many people who were very, very unselfish. It’s very humbling to see a community finally come together like we’re supposed to. It was a beautiful thing to behold.”

— Teresa McCartney

Teresa is one of countless people in the community who have stepped up to help — from rescuing families to providing temporary housing to volunteering at shelters to donating needed items. Among those she praised were two local police officers, Desiree Stanislas and Eric Filyaw, who went “above and beyond” by spending their own money to purchase food and other items for evacuees. The pair also helped prepare and serve dinner plates.

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts or experiences related to this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

'It is THIS unity that the world needs to see'

“Well, the water won out. We finally had to evacuate after it got up 6 inches in our house. Lots of locals were running boats in, so my wife and son left in one and I left later in another. We have a place to stay, so we are all OK. And we’re thankful for the help of so many who are working tirelessly to make sure people are safe. I'm just on the receiving end this time.

“So many of my Baytown friends (who I choose to call family) are going through the same displacement and unknown future as a result of this devastating and historic flooding event. We WILL get through this. It has been proven by the efforts of complete strangers, many of whom are facing the same devastation, that Baytown is strong and will survive this just as it has survived catastrophic weather events before.

“I am thankful for all the efforts of those who have helped and continue to help in any way possible. We are a strong community of people who understand that a community is not just buildings and homes. It is the people who come together in times of need. With all the divisiveness displayed on mainstream and social media recently, it is humbling and refreshing to show the world what 99.99% of Americans are really like. Just hard-working folks who care about people and making sure they are doing what they can to keep others safe. It is THIS unity that the world needs to see.”

— John Selensky

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts on this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

'After there is no longer a named storm, we will buy flood insurance'

“It’s not close to being over, but Harvey has been a learning experience for me. Jenice and I built this house the summer of 1980. I was 27 years old and wise beyond my years, or just really lucky. I was born on this flat land and knew even then that water runs downhill. We were one of the first homes built in our 110-house subdivision. I argued with my builder about the height of my slab. I got it 12 inches higher than he had planned, and subsequently the homes built around me were built to the same elevation.

“Sunday morning we received 14.5 inches of rain in less than three hours. At 6:30 a.m. the water was within ONE inch of coming in the back of the house. That was the high point for Harvey and the low point for me. At 28 feet of elevation I never fear storm surge. But we have received 29 inches of rain (as of Monday morning) since this started, and even with that we have drained it all away.

“But I have seen the light. I made a promise to Jenice and the Lord that next week, after there is no longer a named storm, we will buy flood insurance. Some may think I’m foolish for having gone all these years without it. But I have that affliction many have accused me of having. Sometimes I think I’m smarter than I actually am.

“As I watch TV coverage of people being rescued in all kinds of boats by all kinds of kind people, I feel truly blessed. I need to better appreciate that every day. May the Lord bless you and keep you safe as he has me for more than 64 years.”

— Don Coffey

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts on this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

'I will not allow Harvey to take away the joy of splashing in puddles'

“When I was very young, we did an art contest at school. The theme was ‘What Makes Me Smile.’

“I had a poster board and Crayola crayons, and I sat at our family’s kitchen table to color my masterpiece.

“It was me wearing a yellow raincoat, hat and boots — standing in the rain puddles under a rainbow with one leg pink and the other leg flesh color because, well, I was about 7 at the time.

“We had that poster matted and framed, and it hung over my bed until I left my parents’ house. It continued to hang in that room until the house was sold two years ago.

“I will not allow Harvey and its aftermath to take away from me a lifetime’s joy of splashing in the puddles, listening to the sound of rain on the rooftops and spotting a rainbow.”

— Cherie Morgan

Hurricane Harvey is having a major impact on the lives of people in Baytown and surrounding communities. If you would like to share your thoughts on this historic weather event, send us a message on our Facebook or Instagram pages or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

The devastation is real, and Harvey keeps on coming

When we headed to the grocery store early in the morning last Thursday, I thought we might be late to the Hurricane Harvey preparation party. Instead, I was mildly surprised to see fully stocked shelves and moderately filled aisles of shoppers.

Of course, it didn’t take long for everyone to respond to the reality of the situation. In short order, supplies were hard to find and families were getting ready to hunker down.

As Harvey continues to make his way through Texas and into Louisiana, all is fine at The Baytown Project headquarters. Besides a few drips in the attic and occasional pooling water near the front door, we have nothing to complain about.

The same can’t be said for many of our neighbors and friends in Baytown, Houston and surrounding communities. The devastation is real. And Harvey keeps on coming.

During this time of fear, uncertainty and sadness, I would like to use The Baytown Project to share your stories related to this historic storm and its many impacts.

It could be what you and your family (humans and pets) are going through. Good deeds you have witnessed or performed. Or other thoughts or experiences on what we all are dealing with in Baytown and beyond.

If you would like to share and are in a situation where you can do so, please send your brief story/information along with at least one clear photo via the message feature on The Baytown Project’s Facebook or Instagram pages, or email baytownproject@gmail.com.

Thank you, and good luck to you and your families during this challenging time.

David Berkowitz
Manager, The Baytown Project