West Houston community celebrates neighborhood unity one year after Hurricane Harvey
HOUSTON — As the one year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey approaches, communities are gathering to remember what happened.
But one neighborhood out in west Houston is actually celebrating.
The Memorial Glen neighborhood had 151 of their 171 homes flood during Harvey, but instead of remembering this time as a tragedy, they’re celebrating how they came together.
Nat Rosenthal never knew he’d know his neighbors like this.
“I know far more people at this party than I would’ve,” Rosenthal said. “Now I’m not saying I suggest that we would all flood so we could get to know each other.”
It was a shared suffering among them – 90 percent of their homes flooded. And now, they have a new catchphrase: “Glen Strong.”
So on a Saturday night, exactly one year after Harvey took their homes, they’re celebrating.
“Yes we flooded, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” Shannon Robinson said. But the neighbors we have here are amazing and because of that, even though the people flooded and lost most of their stuff, the majority of the people in the neighborhood decided to come back and stay.”
And it’s fitting that the home that hosted the block party was also there for them a year ago.
“This place, this lawn, where we’re having this party now, became the gathering point for our community,” Rosenthal said.
As one of the few who didn’t flood, Kevin McMahon and his wife opened their home to their neighbors as a place to refuel, re-hydrate or just relax.
They’re back on his lawn again today.
“We’re not really celebrating Harvey. We’re celebrating the fact that so many neighbors and friends got together to help each other out so that’s really what the spirit of this is all about,” McMahon said.
So much of the party was actually sponsored that organizers had money leftover, which they will be giving back to the neighborhood.