Many of you will remember that our extended family, while spared from physical harm and the worst of the property damage, was still deeply impacted by hurricane Katrina. We went to Biloxi right after the storm and have been back several times since. Even with all of the news coverage, it is hard to imagine the difficulty of living there unless you actually experience it first hand. While some things are “back to normal,” it will never be the same as before.
The good news is that with the community coming together great strides are being made. That is one reason why a local television station has been profiling local heros each week. I am honored to tell you that this week’s South Mississipi Hero of the Week is my father-in-law, Dr. Douglas Leavengood.
This week’s hero is a local physician who was nominated by an entire staff of nurses and office managers. They wrote to us saying, “After the storm, he provided free medical care and medications to anyone who walked in. He also provided desperately needed insulin and asthma supplies for school children and opened his home to displaced families.” That’s why we recognize Dr. Douglas Leavengood of Biloxi as a South Mississippi Hero.
Without going into any details, this could not have come at a better time for Doug, because it helps to confirm both his vocational and ministerial calling. The television station actually surprised him a couple weeks ago, but put off airing the segment due to election day coverage. You can watch last night’s video by going to WLOX.com ==> Community ==> South Mississippi Heroes ==> Rebecca Powers Profiles Dr. Douglas Leavengood of Biloxi (pop-up video).
One Comment
If anyone ever deserved this recognition, it’s Doug. Words cannot express my appreciation for what Doug and Lois have done for many people in our church family in the aftermath of Katrina. Personally, when he and Albert drove up the first Sunday AM after the storm with a team of volunteers from Montgomery and helped clear the huge tree from our driveway and see if we had things we needed, it was something only God could have provided. I think he knows he’s “a hero” in my book.