Letter: What about us?

Some of us do not have the money to evacuate; some don’t have the health. Yet we were made to feel like criminals for being poor of pocket or of health.

In Hurricane Floyd, I took back whatever I had bought at Walmart and had the money to leave because it was for one night. If I had left this time, it would have been from Wednesday to late Tuesday. That could be $600 in hotels if I could find one, plus meals and gas. That’s all of my Social Security check.

Then when I came home, how would I eat or pay for where I live, or lights and phone? I would have been in the streets.

When a friend went to the hospital with pneumonia, she was told she should have evacuated. Punished for being sick? That’s what our world has come to? At 78, I hoped for better.

Then nice men and women came to my door to see if we were all right. I thank them. They brought ready-to-eat meals and water. Fortunately, my daughter and I were OK, but I asked about FEMA and other groups, and each group that came knew nothing of the others.

On TV they always say, “We appreciate the great coordination between local, state, and federal agencies.” Fairy tale. Worse was the restaurant where my daughter worked was closed, so we haven’t had her income for a week or more. People who stayed need help, not criticism. Where’s the friendly Hilton Head spirit?

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Letter: What about us?."