Hurricane Katrina and Victor Vito

Once in a while, we hear stories about people who have been touched by our music in a way that makes us realize how incredibly lucky we are to be part of this whole journey.

Megan and her family have one of these stories.

We stumbled upon Megan's blog entry detailing her family's amazing perspective and reflections coming out of Hurricane Katrina's devastation, and how the Laurie Berkner Band became a part of the memories and the healing process.  

Here are some excerpts for brevity sake - to read the full post, please click here: "Victor Vito" (we strongly recommend you read the whole entry when you have a moment - it's a wonderful read that excerpts can't do justice to)

"Laurie Berkner's song "Victor Vito" came on and I felt three seconds of pure happiness, and then I could not breathe.  It was like the exhilaration of jumping into a wave, then realizing too late that it's too high and too deep.  Before you know it, you are going under.  It felt like that wave.

...I don't always tell people that the home we lost in Hurricane Katrina was an apartment we were renting.  For some reason, they seem to sort of turn off when I tell them that.  As though "oh, it was just a rental" means that it wasn't a home.  That our stuff wasn't real.

Only the walls were rented.  The home was ours.

...At the end of July, we are unpacked.  I'm sitting at the computer, making a CD for Pants's first birthday party.  His first word and current obsession is dogs.  Maguire and I had found an electric guitar cake design before he was born and knew we had to save it for his first birthday.  Mix it together and you got "Club Dog-Dog," our rock-n-roll birthday party theme, with dogs dressed like Elvis for decoration.

The first song on the "Club Dog-Dog" CD is "Hound Dog" by Elvis Presley.  "Let's Get It Started" by the Black Eyed Peas is on MTV all the time and you love it.  Must add that one, too.  Mom here adds "Speed of Sound" by Coldplay.  The fifth song is Laurie Berkner's "Victor Vito."   Man, we watch that video on the Noggin website every day right now.  You are learning to clap along.

Almost exactly one month later, we evacuate ahead of Hurricane Katrina.  I put our photo albums on top of the couch because, hey, you never know how high the water could get in a hurricane.  Maguire puts his Paul Reed Smith guitar on the bed.  Because, really, the water could get that high.

...Three days later, we see our home on the computer of my in-law's neighbor.  It is a slab of concrete.  Maguire made me walk him through it a million times before he would believe it was really our home.  That bare slab.

It was just stuff.  At least we weren't killed.  It could have been worse.  At least we have each other.

But I would love to hold Louise the duck again.

...Last week, Maguire had a surprise for me.  He found a copy of "Club Dog-Dog" that I had left at my parents' house after Pants's first birthday party.

...The fifth song comes on.  Oh my gosh, I haven't heard Laurie Berkner in so long!  "Victor Vito" was our favorite!  Pants!  Do you remember this song?

Then I remember.  I remember what it felt like sitting there, making this CD for my baby boy that was about to turn one year old.  I remember what it felt like.  I remember the hope that filled my heart.  The excitement for starting our new life.  The thrill of things to come.

I remembered what it felt like to be full of such hope...

...No one knew what was coming.  How could we?  What we did know was that you don't play with hurricanes, especially if you have a baby.  You evacuate.  You evacuate every time.  Even if that means evacuating with all of your most prized possessions five times in two years.

Just get in the car.  Get out.  Don't bother packing so much stuff this time.  Nothing ever happens.  Just take enough clothes for three days, grab your wedding album, one guitar, the cat and the baby, and go.  It will all be fine.

It's just stuff."

When we wrote to Megan about posting her blog, she updated us on her family: 

Pants (pseudonym) is five years old now (he had just turned one during the time that we were obsessively watching The Laurie Berkner Band on Noggin) and definitely still loves the band.  He also now has a 3 year old brother...who is our little Hurricane Katrina baby.  Not all bad, right?  They are just getting into watching videos online on their own, so you can imagine how often we hear Laurie Berkner crop up...Did I mention I have a newborn little girl?

Megan's blog, Velveteen Mind, features "Victor Vito"  as it's top "favorite post".  Thank you, Megan, for sharing this beautiful story with us.

If you have a story about how the Laurie Berkner Band has touched your life, please leave us a comment!  

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Comments

[Kristen]

A great post. It tugged at my heart in a personal, too-close-to-home kind of way. We could have written something very similar, just substitute "Hurricane Ike" for "Hurricane Katrina."

The Toddler's favorite is "Five Days Old," though. ;)

[Corey~livingandloving]

I also know Megan's blog, and was touched by that post when I read it.

[Sandwiched]

I'm a fan of Megan's! I'd forgotten about the Victor Vito reference in this post, though. Thanks for highlighting it. Love you guys!

[Kate Coleman]

Wow. That was powerful. She is a beautiful writer. Music has such a magic way of touching people and bringing people together, not to mention getting people through their struggles. Thank you Megan, and thank you LBB.