A Hug Makes All the Difference

​    On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana, completely flooding and destroying the city. Though many people had evacuated, thousands more were trapped in their homes. Rescuers were rushed to the scene, and over the next few weeks they worked to save the people stranded in New Orleans. Mike Maroney, an Air Force sergeant, was one of those rescuers. On his 7th day in New Orleans, Mike rescued a family with several children. As he unloaded them at an airport, one of the little girls wrapped her arms around him. A photographer happened to be there, and snapped a photo of the hug. The family was flown out of New Orleans, and Mike continued his work. But he never forgot that moment.  

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​    Years passed, and Mike still thought of the girl who had given him that special hug. He wanted to meet her again and tell her how much it had meant to him. He tried to search for her, but all he had was a picture - not even a name! He put the picture online and hoped that someone would recognize her. Finally he got his answer: The girl’s name was LeShay Brown, and she lived in Mississippi. Mike was very excited. After a phone call, the two made plans to meet. On September 15, Mike and ​LeShay (now 13 and taller than Mike) finally reunited. Mike was overjoyed at seeing her again. "You helped me through a dark time," he said. "You rescued me more than I rescued you."  Mike plans to keep in touch with LeShay - now that he finally found her, he won’t lose her again!

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