At last count, the number was 67,041 views and counting on the Herald-Guide’s Facebook page for a photo of Claire Landry “beaching” on Hesco baskets in Des Allemands.
“I never dreamt it would go viral or have that many likes or shares,” Landry mused. “I was amazed. It just surprised us that many people enjoyed the picture and that’s why we did it.”
In Facebook fame, she’s an Internet celebrity among the many who just wanted to lighten things up with Tropical Storm Barry.
People messaged her and made numerous friend requests. Relatives from Kentucky and Texas messaged her, too.
“I thought it would lift the spirits of my friends and neighbors and those of us who live along the water that will deal with the sand baskets on a daily basis in front of our homes,” Landry said. “The baskets, once placed, remain there until late October or early November. It’s a long four months of sand everyday. So I made the best of the situation to bring joy.”
She did bring amusement at a time when Barry, tropical storm turned hurricane turned back to tropical storm, painfully crawled on shore Saturday at 5 mph and just lingered. In what seemed like an eternity, Landry brought a bright spot to Louisiana’s otherwise gloomy, stressful wait on where the storm would land.
On Friday, shortly after the parish lined the road facing Bayou Des Allemands with the baskets, Landry’s playful mind started working.
In two minutes, she was in her bathing suit and her husband, Brian, assisted with her spontaneous idea of decking the baskets with her beach stuff – and her.
“I went get the pink flamingo that I had just ordered from Amazon,” Landry said.
Although she had a little fun with the Hasco baskets, she was quick to clarify that she appreciates them.
“Some people in the past told me it’s a way of life – the water – and people like to see their way of life,” Landry said of being able to see Bayou Des Allemands, which is nearly in her front yard.
Landry attributes her playfulness to her mother.
“My momma had a great sense of humor and so does my family,” she said. “We always found something to laugh about. When other people don’t have anything to laugh about, we always do.”
[pullquote]“I thought it would lift the spirits of my friends and neighbors and those of us who live along the water that will deal with the sand baskets on a daily basis in front of our homes.” — Claire Landry[/pullquote]But it’s not just about laughing to her, it’s also about looking for the bright side and making people smile. She just doesn’t want to embarrass her three children.
She’s a retired school bus driver who relocated to Des Allemands from Mimosa in Luling in search of a place to live by the water. She found it in this community.
“I just thought that people could see that we can have a sense of humor even when we’re about to face the hurricane,” Landry said. “I was glad we didn’t have to evacuate so I was going to make the best of it.”
The Landrys
- Claire and David Landry have lived in Des Allemands for 14 years. They love the beach.
- The couple has evacuated the area three or four times due to storms. Over the years, the levees began as sand bags then went to water bags and now Hesco baskets filled with sand.
- Local residents consider their home the “go-to house” for storms because it was built off the ground and so well.
I shared it and tagged a fb friend in New Jersey. She loved the photo. She’s a survivor of both Hurricane Sandy and FEMA and NFIP!