Local student emerges from Katrina with bright new future

Hurricane Katrina impacted a lot of lives two years ago including a 2003 Nevada High School graduate, Michael Ted Moore Jr., the son of Drs. Ted and Candace Moore.

After high school, Michael decided to go to Tulane University in New Orleans, La., where he pursued a double major in history and philosophy. He was a varsity cross country runner and was academic all-conference the two years before Katrina.

Things became complicated after the hurricane. Candace Moore explained what happened then.

"He was starting his junior year and he went to a cross country meeting and it turned out to be a hurricane meeting," Moore said. "They told everyone they had to leave. He was living in a house with three other cross country runners and a friend of his told him to get out. She said, 'Put enough clothes in the car for two or three days, get $300 out of the bank and fill your tank.' In two cars they had eight people two dogs and a 1 year old. They left Saturday night around 10:30 and drove through Baton Rouge. He said it was the busiest traffic he'd ever seen but they didn't stop. The normal speed is around 70 and they were going about 50 but they didn't stop. They drove straight on to Houston and got in around 5:30 a.m., but couldn't get in the hotel until about 10 a.m."

Moore said that after awhile everyone realized the scope of the damage and knew that alternate plans had to be made.

"By the third day they realized they couldn't get back to New Orleans," Moore said. "Michael drove through Oklahoma back to Missouri."

Like most people Michael lost nearly everything except the clothes on his back and the Jeep he drove from New Orleans.

"His landlord did go in and recover three things from his apartment," Moore said. "He had a Navy blanket that used to be his grandfathers, a computer that was up on a high shelf and a leather jacket."

Moore said the blanket cleaned up well with just a washing, the computer worked but the jacket was a problem.

"The jacket looked like a green mold was growing on it," Moore said. "He took it to the cleaners and they got it clean."

In order to continue his education Michael had to find a college to attend until Tulane was once again accepting students.

"When he first applied to five schools, he thought of MU as his backup school," Moore said. "He went there and they already had his information from before and within five hours they had him in all his classes. He was a junior but he lived in a freshman dorm. He said they were too loud."

The second semester away from Tulane Michael had already planned on spending at Regeants College in London and when he returned from that semester he continued an internship he had started before Katrina at A Fighting Chance, an organization that makes investigators accessible to indigent defendants in capital cases. He continued his internship through his senior year and now works for the organization full-time.

His work for A Fighting Chance is only a part of the work Michael has done in post-Katrina New Orleans. He has also been a part of Aboena House, a child-care center for people who otherwise can't afford it. A letter from one of Michael's friends, Denice, outlined the need.

"Since the storm, only one-third of the child care centers have reopened in New Orleans, though two-thirds of the population numbers are back," the letter states.

Moore said that Michael's work with A Fighting Chance is a passion with him, one that may lead to a law career later.

"He is really passionate about his job," Moore said. "He's not sure but he may look at going to law school later."

Do you know a student or recent graduate, high school or college, who's and creating great expectations? Nominate one of tomorrow's leaders for a Great Expectations feature in the Nevada Daily Mail, focusing a new spotlight on today's youth, by dropping by the Nevada Daily Mail offices at 131 S. Cedar St., by e-mail at editor@nevadadailymail.com, with "great expectations" in the subject line; by responding to this story on the Internet at www.nevadadailymail.com, or by mail at 131 S. Cedar St, Nevada, MO 64772. Include the person's name, contact information if available, and a brief list of reasons for the nomination.