Man uses positivity to help others combat trauma after surviving Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - Darcell Francois lived in the ninth ward of New Orleans. At 23 years old, his life changed forever when water poured into his house and wouldn’t stop.

“And sure enough, we sat there until we saw the water coming in,” he said.

Francois says his family climbed on the roof of their home to avoid the floodwaters, surviving with no food.

“We didn’t [have any food]. We couldn’t go back in the house. It was underwater,” he said.

They spent the next two days there with no food, water, bathroom, or relief from the summer sun. His grandmother’s house was down the street.

“It ended up floating 18 miles away. Everything was lost.”

Francois says he hasn’t fully healed from those terrifying nights and days on the roof. However, he says the most devasting part was being fil