Two decades after Hurricane Katrina , survivors can still describe in detail what they faced in the days after the storm devastated the Gulf Coast.

In New Orleans, many initially thought they had escaped the worst, that is, until the storm surge overwhelmed the levees, breaking the city's floodwalls. As the days went on, the situation became worse and worse.

Hurricane Katrina led to nearly 1,400 deaths, displaced more than a million people and left hundreds of billions of dollars in damage across the Gulf Coast.

While the recovery has varied, some people who made it back to New Orleans have found hope in the city they love.

"A blessing in disguise"

For Toranzette Andrews, losing everything in Hurricane Katrina opened an opportunity for a fresh start.

Andrews and her family weren'

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