For Ethyl “Lou” Douglas and her family, Thanksgiving, sadly, did not provide a cheerful memory this year: the home she had lived in for more than 50 years burned to the ground, leaving virtually nothing behind.
“It was a huge shock,” Douglas said.
The fire began in the attic of the Douglas’ home on East McAdoo St. of New Sarpy. Thankfully, nobody was seriously hurt in the fire, though that wasn’t a given at the time: while Douglas was visiting family in Texas and her daughter, Dianne Cotton, was visiting relatives in LaPlace, Dianne’s son, Terrance, was asleep at the residence as the fire began. He narrowly escaped, his only injuries resulting from burns on his hands as result of the heated door knobs. Dianne and Terrance were staying at Douglas’ home for the holidays.
“My son went to bed at 10:30 (p.m.),” Cotton said. “When he woke up, he couldn’t see anything, not even right in front of his face. He stumbled through and got out the door. It took him a little bit to be able to see, even when outside, but once he got there, he saw it rolling through the roof.”He got to a phone and called 911. He also attempted to reenter the residence, but Cotton said he quickly realized that was not an option.
“The pressure from the door threw him backwards,” she said. “He tried again and got the door open, but it slammed shut. I think that was God’s way of telling him not to go back in.”
Added Douglas, “I’m so grateful my grandson was able to get out of that house and that he’s still with us.”
At the age of 83, Douglas must now rebuild. But the logistics of doing so will be anything but easy. Cotton said Douglas was dropped by her insurance provider after Hurricane Katrina and her attempt to regain a policy wasn’t financially feasible for her.
Tom McLain has known the family since 2008, working with them through their church, St. Charles United Methodist in Destrehan, and community activities. He said many are stepping up to help a woman who has always opened her home and heart to others.
“They’ve been part of putting together our food bank,” he said. “She’s let people in need stay in her home without asking anything in return. She needs our help right now. I know I want to do my part.”
McLain asks for prayers and support for a family of “truly good people.”
“There’s so much they’ll never be able to replace,” McLain said. “The pictures on the walls, the memories they had in that house, those are gone forever. But we can provide a lift for them to get back on their feet.”
Some of those items were invaluable and can never be replaced. A number of items Cotton kept in her son’s memory were lost in the fire; he passed away at the age of 26 after falling from a barge, and his body was never found.
“It was all I had of him,” she said.
She noted that years ago, the home was the first demonstration home built in their neighborhood. That home went on to be the host of many cookouts where few, if anyone, were permitted to leave hungry.
Douglas is well-known in the New Sarpy community as “Lou” or “Miss Lou.” A cook for St. Charles Parish Public Schools for more than 18 years, she never stopped making her delicious dishes upon her retirement. She’d regularly cook up tons to eat for neighbors in her community, be it for holidays or other special occasions.
“Everybody knows Lou,” Cotton said, reminiscing about her own childhood. “The grownups out there, she fed them, and then she fed their children. She’d serve red beans or make a turkey, and she fed everybody. Anything she could do, she would.”
“I’d never turn anyone away,” Douglas said. “I wanted to feed everybody.”
She said that attitude came from how and where she was raised. New Sarpy is her home, and has been for her entire life. That hasn’t ended, even today, her home but a memory; she is staying with her son-in-law, two houses down from her longtime residence.
There is an account set up at Capital One in her name for those interested in helping. One may donate to any Capital One branch.
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