BAYOU LA BATRE, Ala.—It was already too late.

As Hurricane Katrina blew ashore along the Gulf Coast with winds over 125 miles an hour, Truong Van Dai, an oyster shucker, drove off in his station wagon to help a friend in dire need.

Before he realized what was happening, floodwaters from the hurricane’s storm surge were slapping against the floor of the car. He couldn’t go any further. Soon, he’d realized he couldn’t even turn back. The car would be his family’s first loss to what would become one of the deadliest storms in U.S. history.

Truong got out of the station wagon and started doing the only thing he could—wading through the floodwaters back toward his home.

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