Hurricane Laura Relief

I was born and raised in Sulphur, Louisiana. My family has been living on this one road, Granger Drive, for over 80 years. Granger Drive isn’t long—less than a mile for sure—but it’s all my family, except for one rental house. My parents and aunts and uncles and cousins live on Granger Drive. My grandparents before they passed. I learned to rope on Granger Drive in my Uncle Butch’s covered arena. We spent so many days and nights out there sweating, laughing, crying, my hands bleeding, all while perfecting my craft as a tie-down roper. I can’t thank my Uncle Butch and Aunt Janie enough.

All that hard work eventually paid off. I’m a 10X NFR qualifier and in 2013 I brought the beloved Gold Buckle and World Title back to southwest Louisiana. My title wasn’t the first to come back to this area but was still celebrated by the community.

Now the community that supported and celebrates me needs help—my help and yours.

Last week, Hurricane Laura crumpled Uncle Butch’s practice arena. It’s no longer recognizable. There are fallen trees and debris everywhere, not just along Granger Drive. Everywhere. It hurts to see the damage done to my family’s property, but what hurts the most is seeing the amount of homes and businesses that were completely demolished. Family, friends, and strangers. Everybody is hurting.

That’s why I’m raising money for the United Way of Southwest Louisiana. It’s not for me and my family but for everybody in and around my hometown hurt by Hurricane Laura, the strongest storm to make landfall in Louisiana since 1856.

The storm made landfall last Thursday. Two days later, on Saturday, a handful of my roping buddies rolled into town to help. They brought their skid-steers and chainsaws and other equipment and got to work clearing and hauling debris for people. These are world-class athletes from Washington State and Oregon, Colorado and Texas. Some of them know Sulphur from my annual jackpot roping. They love the competition and the homemade Cajun food we feed them. Others just want to help however they can. That’s how rodeo cowboys are.

We are in phase 1, which means helping people get essential items they need to live. Once we have power, which could be up to 6 weeks from now, we will then begin phase 2. Phase 2 will be aiding in the building of homes that were destroyed.

I ask that you help and give something to my community. Anything helps. We truly appreciate everyone coming together to help this great place that I represent.