THE STEDMAN FAMILY

Robert And Michele Stedman resided in St Bernard Parish, Louisiana with their three children; Amanda 9, Robert 6, and Chandler 3.
The children evacuated St Bernard with their grandparents, Micki and Aaron Whittington, who also lived in St Bernard, to Houston, TX on Saturday, August 27,in Micki Whittington's mini van.

Michele Stedman, a manager for a local gas station in St Bernard Parish, worked most of the morning on Sunday, August 28 until the owners ordered the store to be closed for the employees to evacuate before the storm. Michele left St Bernard and started to drive for Houston to be with their children in Aaron Whittingtons pick up, along with Holly, her parents black Lab.

Robert Stedman, a Deputy for St Bernard Sheriffs Office, worked through hurricane Katrina. Robert Stedman saw first hand the destructive force that Katrina brought with it. Members of the St Bernard Sheriffs Office, Fire Department, and countless civilians assisted in the rescue of over 800 civilians in the first day when the flood waters rose 10 feet in 10 minutes.

"Imagine going to work with three days worth of cloths, then watching everything around you being destroyed by flood water, knowing you had no home to go to and once the water is gone you have no vehicle to get out in."

The first two days after Katrina, with all communication knocked out by Katrina and St Bernard Parish nothing but water as far as the eye could see, Michele had believed the worst had happened. No one had heard from Robert and there was no answer when calling his cell phone. Finally Robert was able to be heard, if only for a minute, thanks to a fellow deputy with a satellite phone. Robert was only able to tell Michele "The parish is gone. Everything is completely gone." and "I love you" before the phone lost service.

Robert Stedman was medically transported by helicopter for dehydration and heat exhaustion on Thursday, September 1st, after working 20 hour days with almost nothing to eat or drink, while making sure the rescued civilians were taken care of. He eventually made it to safely join his family in St Louis, Missouri.

Michele has found a job working for a local business. Robert has been back to St Bernards Parish to check on their home and it and everything in it is a TOTAL LOSS! He is hoping to return to his job at St Bernard Sheriffs Office and is ready to go now, but he is staying in St. Louis for the time being to help his family get on their feet.