HOUSTON – Dozens of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina seven years ago gathered near downtown Houston on Wednesday night to remember that day.
The New Orleans Association of Houston, known as NOAH, is a group of men and woman who made Houston their home after the storm hit.
Wednesday night they gathered at the SHAPE Community Center on Almeda Street to honor those who lost their lives and to celebrate the resilience of others.
Many of the people in attendance had personal stories to tell, like Elois Teno, whose husband died in Katrina.
"We couldn't convince him to leave," Teno said. "He decided he would stay and would ride out the storm. In the process he lost his life."
Teno evacuated with her family, everyone except her husband.
The worst part she said was not being able to get in touch with him and not knowing what had happened. After the hurricane, when she returned to her lower ninth ward home, it was gone.
Her husband's body was found and identified four months later.
"He was the best husband you would want," Teno said. "If you could design a man it would be him. Just close your eyes and imagine what you would do if you went home and there was nothing there. And the one you love the most is not there and you have to start over with your life."
The NOAH group gathered to pray, sing songs and share stories of support.
They told KPRC Local 2 they want August 29th to be a day to honor the thousands of people who lost their lives during one of the nation's worst natural disasters.