I went to high school with Helen and her mother was my fourth and fifth grade teacher. Perhaps one of my favorite teachers that I ever had. Helen and her husband, Dr. Paul Gailiunas had evacuated New Orleans right before Katrina hit. They almost lost everything. They moved back this year, and began anew. Helen was Visiting artist at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and was working on a short film. Her husband is a Doctor and was working for Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans treating low income families. They have a two year old son. I was on the debate team with Helen and in several classes with her. I remember her as being one of the most creative, genuine, and sweetest people I've ever met. I was lucky to have known her.
About 5am Thursday, Police responded to a call about a shooting and found Paul shot, but alive and holding his son. Helen had been shot and killed. The State reports that Paul was in good condition on Thurday. New Orleans' paper, The Times-Picayune, reports that Helen was the sixth person shot and killed in New Orleans in about a 24 hour span. It's pretty sad that people as good as Helen and Paul, and devoted to teaching and helping others, and trying to help rebuild that city, would be killed by a bunch of low lifes intent on nothing more than destruction. They have got a hell of a lot more to work on in New Orleans than just levees.
Helen's mom introduced me to so many creative activities in the fourth and fifth grade. One of them was making an animated film. We prepared by watching a home made stop motion film Helen and her brother had made. Then we listened to several selections of music and illustrated whatever thoughts came into our heads at the time. I drew a picture of an elephant sucking up a rainbow into his tummy and dancing to the music with the colors swirling about on his stomach. (Hey, I was in fifth grade. Give me a break.). My music was Scott Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag, and I remember Helen coming into class one day to help us on the film. Making that film remains one of my fondest childhood memories, and animation has remained one of the things I am most passionate about.
My prayers go out to Helen's husband and son, and her brother and parents.
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4 comments:
I wonder why there was no mention of a statement from Mayor Nagin? Could it be because these killings typify the wonderous "chocolate city" that he envisioned? It's always sad when innocent people die by the acts of lower life forms, but we can take solice in lnowing that there is a special place in Hell for the thugs that did it; right next to the furnace.
That is so very sad. My condolences to all.
Laura
I'm so sorry to hear this.
And I do agree. There is much more to be worked on than just the levees.
Character, and the simple notion of civility and decency come to mind.
Just ridiculous.
My prayers go out to the friends and family as well. I'd like to think there's a lot of praying going on in New Orleans. All the money in the world, and the strongest of levees are meaningless without it.
Thank you for sharing this. One can read about crimes and murders in far away cities and have some moderate sense that something is wrong, but the true tragedy and loss are often missed.
By finding out a little about the victims the event becomes more real and the tragedy palpable.
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