LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Rescue crews are still working to help those stranded in flood water from Hurricane Ida as more than 1 million people in southern Louisiana continue to be without power.
As remnants from the storm hit the Ohio Valley, one Louisville family is on a rescue mission of their own. Teacher Angela Kerns' husband left Tuesday morning to find his parents and bring them north.
"Where are you?" Kerns said to her husband over the phone. "You're in...ten miles outside of Birmingham?"
Kerns has continued to check on her husband, Jarrod, who left on an unplanned trip to find his family in New Orleans.
"They're without water and without power," Kerns said. "His parents, who are in their 70s, are down there. They elected not to leave during the storm, so he is on his way to get them and bring them back up here."
The Kerns are no stranger to evacuation. They left New Orleans just hours after Hurricane Katrina with their eight-week-old son and two-year-old daughter.
"It's a terrifying thing to experience," Kern said. "Right now, they're in that spot where there's a lot of unknown factors. At some point, your resources start to dwindle. How much water did you save up for this? How much food do you have?"
When the Kerns arrived in Kentucky, they made Louisville their new home. Now, as her husband travels down to get his parents, Kerns said she cannot help but feel a familiar ping of anxiety.
"Really odd how the roles are reversed," Kerns said. "I get it now. I get what my mother was going through, worrying about us and worrying about are we OK? Are her grandchildren OK?"
Kerns said she is thankful this time around, she is able to communicate with family in Louisiana. Now, she's just awaiting their return.
"New Orleans people are resilient," Jarrod Kerns said over the phone while driving. "They'll rebuild and move on and keep on going. I know in the long run, everything as far as the city will be able to get back."
►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now. For Apple or Android users.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.