Miracles do happen.

Here is the story of a miracle that you probably won’t hear anywhere else. It is all very true and I’ve included some pictures that I took to help you understand just how amazing this story actually is. They're thumbnails so click for a larger view.

On the evening that Hurricane Katrina hit, most of the residents of Pass Christian Mississippi had evacuated. For the ones who remained, there was no time left. The only thing to do was to hunker down and get ready for a very severe beating. For the Public Safety folks, evacuation was never an option. Someone must stay behind. And that “someone” is usually Police and Fire personnel, for they will be the first to emerge after the storm to begin the exhaustive effort of saving lives.

The Pass Christian Police Department.

The Pass Christian Police Department is a metal building that was quickly compromised by the wind and began to collapse as the storm reached hurricane intensity. So, for the few officers who had taken refuge in the building along with the Chief and the Mayor, leaving was a matter of life or death. They fought the hurricane force winds and sought shelter in an older, sturdier government building nearby, City Hall, an effort which would eventually prove futile.

Seemingly safe from the winds, the men prepared to ride the storm out in safety. But Katrina soon threw her biggest suprise of all because the Gulf of Mexico which was normally a good quarter mile away began to rush in and quick. No one expected this, after all, the building was at least 30 feet above sea level. As the storm surge chased them out of City Hall, the only other option was the Library which was directly behind and unfortunately, down hill. They could only pray that the water had risen to its maximum as they broke into the building, knowing it was their final refuge.

Here's a view of City Hall from the back of the library. The view of the interior clearly shows why they had to evacuate.

Luck had not been on their side and that was not about to change as the water rushed down hill into the library and began to fill the building with the men inside. They had entered the windward side of the building and as fast as the water was rushing in, exiting the same way was impossible. The only other option was the front door. Made of metal and thick laminated glass, it might as well have been a brick wall. As the water continued to rise inside the building, the men tried everything to break out, including shooting their .40 caliber service pistols repeatedly into the glass. Nothing would work.

The .40 cal hollow points didn't even come close to penetrating this glass. In the second photo you can see through the library to City Hall.

The only thing left to do then was pray…hard. And pray they did. One of them must have been on good terms with the Almighty because just as they had resigned themselves to the tortuous death that awaited them, a car, which was in the parking lot between City Hall and the library, crashed through the back door, knocking down the entire wall, and miraculously, floated right out the front door, taking the officers and the mayor out with it as the water literally washed them out into the front parking lot. The only way that car could have fit through the double doors was bumper first and even then…just barely. They spent the rest of the night clinging to trees as Hurricane Katrina destroyed their town and killed friends and neighbors. The next day, the Mayor abandoned his office and left town. He has not been seen in Pass Christian since.

Here's the path that the car cut as it tore through the library. The water line is clearly visible as the books on the top shelf are all that survived.

Woe be unto the one who is arrogant enough to say that all of this was just coincidence. For there is no doubt among the men who almost drown in the town library that night, that there is most certainly a very powerful and merciful God who spared their lives.