New Orleans native Bailey Kerrigan experienced moments of uncertainty in her life after she evacuated her home and lost it to Hurricane Katrina.
But after relocating to Laredo a few weeks ago, Kerrigan is in search of a brighter future, which she hopes to discover as a student at Laredo Community College.
In early September, the story of New Orleans evacuees Kerrigan and her boyfriend, Alec Goldenberg, came to light in the Laredo Morning Times. The couple moved to Laredo to live with Goldenberg’s mother after they lost their home and belongings in Lakeview to the deadly storm.
It’s been three weeks now, and Kerrigan has made a decision to get her life back in order.
She enrolled in a health sciences career training program at LCC.
With the support of Goldenberg’s mother, LCC allied health instructor Elizabeth Kurczyn Valle, Kerrigan just recently began to attend classes for the medical assistant program offered by the college.
“At first, I felt like an outsider. I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life. I thought about searching for a job. But I got a lot of encouragement and support from Ms. Valle to enroll at LCC. And that was enough motivation to get me into college.”
Kerrigan was home schooled and lost all her academic records in the New Orleans floods. But, she took some college-placement tests and achieved the necessary scores to enroll in college-level classes at LCC. The college waived the out-of-district tuition fees to the Louisiana evacuee.
“It feels great to live in Laredo,” Kerrigan said. “And I’m glad I chose to enroll at LCC, which is allowing me to broaden my horizon.”
Kerrigan’s boyfriend Alec Goldenberg also received encouragement from Valle and her husband, Carlos, who teaches at TAMIU. Goldenberg is studying at TAMIU.
This term, Kerrigan is enrolled in three courses, including anatomy/physiology, medical terminology and medical laboratory technology.
“Everyone at LCC has been wonderfully supportive. The instructors have been very helpful to get me on track with my studies since I began classes two weeks after the semester began. I feel very comfortable and fortunate to be studying at LCC,” Kerrigan said.
Of course, Kerrigan can’t help but think of her future and the possibility of ever being able to live again in New Orleans.
Kerrigan lived with her parents in Lakeview, which is next to Lake Pontchartrain. Her family is starting over. Her parents are relocating to other parts of Louisiana and her brothers are attending school elsewhere. However, it probably won’t be until Christmas-time before citizens will be allowed to move back to New Orleans, she said.
“I don’t know if my boyfriend and I plan to stay in Laredo to complete our studies, but for the moment, we’ll be focusing on our studies from semester to semester,” Kerrigan said.
Kerrigan has some good advice to offer others who are dealing with the impact of Katrina or any other serious adversity: “Obviously, you’re going to grieve at the beginning. But, once you get over the loss of material things, you realize that everything is going to be all right. You need to get up, get yourself out there and do something with your life.”
She added that “being in school is great, and I’m glad to be at LCC.”
From left, Laredo Community College student Bailey Kerrigan reviews a course assignment with her instructor and special friend, Elizabeth Kurczyn Valle.
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