As we have all seen the catastrophic images from Hurricane Ian. We know that many people’s lives have been affected or changed forever. During the horrific time while the hurricane was bearing down on people, decisions had to be made. One person, John Lauder, had to decide how he was going to save his wheelchair bound mother whose house was flooding in an area that had become a river. On the flip side of that you have Joanna Rubin, a tourist from Tulsa, Oklahoma who was wading through waist high water in Key West, for no apparent reason.
John Lauder, a former police officer, was a half a mile away from his 85 year old mother’s house that he knew was getting more flooded by the minute. He jumped out of a window from his son’s house into the water. This was not an easy swim, due to the floating debris including cars that Lauder had to avoid. When he reached the house he could see that the water was up to the windows and he could hear his mother shouting.
When Lauder got to his mother she was up to her neck in water and she was shaking. Since John had training as a former cop, he knew that his mother could become hypothermic, so he found some sheets high up in the closet that were dry and lifted his mother onto a table and covered her. She was upset that John was using her good sheets. Eventually, the water had somewhat receded. John’s son came to help and they both managed to push her wheelchair through the water until they could get to dry land.They put the elderly Lauder in the hospital and she is recuperating from this horrendous experience.
On the other hand Joanna Rubin, who was drunk, didn’t really consider her surroundings and decided to wade through waist high water on Duval Street in Key West. A lifeguard saw this display of stupidity and dragged her and others inside. He didn’t think trudging in water during a hurricane while drunk was a good idea. Joanna was wearing her bathing suit and had lost the key to her room in the water. She was locked out of her room all night. I guess when you stay at the Speakeasy Inn, debauchery should be expected.
It’s amazing how different people handle crisis situations. John Lauder and his son chose to be heroes that day and for that they should be commended. Joanna conversely was lucky she didn’t become part of the problem. I wonder if Joanna would get drunk and go out in tornado prone Oklahoma? Which leads me to say Joanna, WTH.
