| Name and information |
Contact telephone number |
| LeRoy and Jeanette Alfonso -
their home in Meraux was destroyed. They evacuated to Baton
Rouge after surviving Hurricane Katrina in the attic of their home.
LeRoy is fluent in Spanish. |
504.756.5958 |
| Donald Ansardi - his home in
Eastern Plaquemines parish, south of St. Bernard was destroyed.
Only rubble remains where his home once stood. He descends
from many Canarians on the maternal and paternal sides of his
family. |
504.583.7094 |
| Dorothy Louise O'Toole Benge -
Dorothy is presently serving as President of the Los Islenos
Heritage and Cultural Society. Her mother, Maria Luisa Molero
O'Toole, donated a 19th century dwelling which became El Museo de
los Islenos. Dorothy left New Orleans August 26, 2005 and is
in residence in Tyler, Texas. |
903.570.0743
504.554.8412 |
| The Honorable Henry J. Rodriguez,
Jr. - President of St. Bernard Parish - Mr. Rodriguez never left
St. Bernard Parish. He and his fellow councilmen were stranded
on the roof of the city hall of St. Bernard parish for four days.
Between 17 and 18 feet of flood water surrounded the building.
Henry Rodriguez and the councilmen commandeered flat-bottom skiffs
and rescued several hundred people from room tops who lived near the
city hall. |
504.722.9813 |
| Rhonda Rodriguez Hannon - Rhonda
is Henry's daughter. She serves on the Board of Directors of
the Los Islenos Society. Rhonda's home was destroyed by a
tidal wave. |
504.615.9322
713.453.7910 |
| William Hyland - Mr. Hyland is
immediate past president of Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural
Society. He also serves as Historian of St. Bernard parish and
director of the Los Islenos Museum Complex. He has been in
residence in Baton Rouge since August 27, 2005. His home in
Meraux was destroyed by flood waters. |
225.924.0845 |
| Jerry Estopinal (Estupinan) - Mr.
Estopinal is a school teacher and member of the Board of Directors
of Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society. His home was
destroyed by flood waters. He is in residence with his
maternal uncle in Stillwater, Oklahoma. |
504.722.5741 |
| Wayne and Elizabeth McDougall -
Wayne is an assistant district attorney for St. Bernard parish.
Elizabeth is director of tourism for St. Bernard parish. They are
both Canarian descendants. Wayne and Elizabeth left St.
Bernard August 27, 2005 and are in residence in New Roads,
Louisiana. |
504.495.1183
504.583.2492 |
| Ricky Robin - Mr. Robin and 11
members of his family survived Hurricane Katrina aboard his trawl
boat the Lil Rick. Ricky sleeps aboard his trawl boat
and uses a skiff to travel to his fishing village, Yscloskey, where
he is cleaning his home. Ricky's house is only one of seven
structures still standing in Yscloskey-Shell Beach. |
not available |
| Charles "Charlito" and Cecilia Robin
- Charlito speaks fluent Spanish and is a commercial fisherman.
His sons are Ricky, and Charles Robin. His wife, Cecilia, is
the docent at El Museo de los Islenos. Their home is still
standing, but severely damaged. They are living in a refugee
center in Lafayette, Louisiana. |
504.421.1418 |
| Charles Robin III - Mr. Robin
took fifteen family members aboard his trawl boat and survived
Hurricane Katrina. His home in St. Bernard village was
severely damaged by wind and flood waters. |
not available |
| Calvin and Cinda Melerine -
Calvin is a member of the Board of Directors of Los Islenos Heritage
and Cultural Society and is an active member of the Canary Islands
Descendants Association. He and his wife almost drowned in
their home when a tidal wave generated by Hurricane Katrina
destroyed Chalmette. They escaped in a skiff to the
Mississippi River levee where they remained for five days.
They are now in residence with friends in Dry Prong, Louisiana. |
not available |
| Jerry Alfonso - Mr. Alfonso is a
founding member of Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society.
He is fluent in Spanish. His home in Chalmette was destroyed.
He and his wife are living with friends in Wisconsin. |
not available |
| Walter "Naco" Alfonso - Mr.
Alfonso lived with his wife and family in the fishing village of
Yscloskey. His home has been reduced to rubble by the
hurricane. He, his wife, and son are living aboard their trawl
boat. |
not available |
| Irvan Perez - Irvan Perez was
evacuated from St. Bernard four days after the hurricane. He
has gained renown as a decima singer and folk artist. His
wife, Louise, died earlier this year. He is in residence with
his grandson, a medical doctor, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
He is a founding member of both Canarian descendents organizations
in St. Bernard, but is active in the Canary Islands Descendants
Association. |
not available |
| William Guarino - William Guarino
is president of the Canary Islands Descendants Association.
His home was flooded and is severely damaged. |
not available
|
| Barbara Deogracias Robin - is
past president of the Canary Islands Descendants Association.
Her home in Caenarvon was flooded. |
not available |
| Lynn Robin Gray - Lynn Gray lives
in Slidell, Louisiana. Slidell was severely damaged by
Hurricane Katrina. |
not available |
| Alfred Perez - His wife, Daisy,
died earlier this year. His home in Violet was destroyed by
flood waters. Mr. Perez is in declining health, but is active
in both Canarian descendants organizations. |
not available |
| Herman 'Dudut' and Eurilda 'Nuna'
Alfonso - The Alfonsos are both Spanish speakers. 'Dudut'
has been very active in Los Islenos Heritage and Cultural Society,
which they helped to form in 1976. Their home in St. Bernard
Village was flooded and is totally uninhabitable. They are
living with friends in Alabama. |
not available |
| |
| Hurricane Katrina struck
St. Bernard parish Monday, August 29, 2005. Tidal waves
generated by the hurricane have devastated every part of the parish.
Not one single home in St. Bernard is habitable. Because so
many residents failed to evacuate St. Bernard before the hurricane,
entire families are divided and residing in communities across the
United States. Electrical and communications systems were
completely destroyed by the hurricane. Communication with the
outside world is virtually impossible at this time.
The above list gives a small cross-section of conditions
prevalent the Canarian descendants community presently.
This information has been gathered from several sources and
may not be completely accurate. We have had no personal
contact with any descendant listed with no contact information
except Walter Alfonso. Please call anyone with listed
telephone numbers for additional information. |