Hurricane Beryl was not supposed to be that bad. The former Category 5 hurricane had been tamed to a Tropical Storm as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula and emerged in the Bay of Campeche.
Forecast to come ashore closer to south Texas or the middle Texas coast, the storm meant some wind and rain for Houston, but a fortuitous escape from the high winds that could disrupt power to the U.S.鈥檚 fourth largest city. After all, Houston was still in recovery from the freak derecho that struck the city on May 16, 2024.
But Beryl鈥檚 scenario changed drastically over the weekend of July 7. With a steady trajectory shift in her track to the north and east, Beryl launched a surprise attack and a direct hit with hurricane force winds on Monday, July 8, 2024 catching much of the Houston area, including 麻豆视频, off guard.
The storm’s unexpected ferocity quickly turned the normally tranquil HCU campus into a battleground. As the wind howled and rain lashed against the buildings, the power lines snapped like brittle twigs, plunging the University into darkness. The internet, a lifeline for students and faculty, went dead. No electricity meant no air conditioning. In the midst of the chaos and dangerous heat how could the University feed and comfort those students who were caught on campus?
HCU staff rose to the challenge. Despite the loss of power and significant damage to their own homes, HCU鈥檚 caring personnel arrived on campus to render aid.
Michael Taylor, HCU鈥檚 Marketing videographer, braved the elements and drove to campus. He spoke with students and staff, chronicling their experiences.
Outside the Baugh Center, Michael found Freshman Student-Athlete T.J. Smith. When asked about the hurricane, T.J. said that he was thankful to staff and for the meals he received at the Baugh. 鈥淭he campus is closed and there鈥檚 no place to get food, so I just came to the Baugh and got some really quick food,鈥� he recalled. The California native was not used to hurricanes. While he acknowledged that the lack of electricity was challenging, he was hopeful. 鈥淭he situation will turn around soon.鈥�
Business Administration MBA Student Jason Barnes found himself on campus for the duration. Grateful to the staff, he, too, received nourishment at the Baugh. 鈥淲e have bag lunches that should last us for the entire day with sandwiches, snacks and three bottles of water.鈥�
Student-Athlete Ravonte Blowe expressed his gratitude. 鈥淭hank God for the people, for the staff, for feeding us. Benny (Benny Gilbert, HCU鈥檚 Food Service Director at ARAMARK), he didn鈥檛 have to come here. Everybody鈥檚 hot. I know we鈥檙e all hot and we want the power to come on. But, at the end of the day, just be thankful. There are going to be some hard times.鈥�
Graduate Student-Athlete Tasheba Pleasant described the effects of Hurricane Beryl as 鈥渁ctually insane.鈥�
鈥淛ust standing out there looking at the storm, I didn鈥檛 think it was going to be this bad,鈥� Tasheba said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never been without power this long so this is definitely an experience for me.鈥� Like the other students, Tasheba expressed her gratitude for the staff who came to help. 鈥淚鈥檓 really happy that they鈥檙e here to help us. Even the coaches and people in financial aid. I鈥檝e talked to them and they don鈥檛 have power, but they are here at the school too, just to help us out and give us food and make sure that the places that do have power are available to us so we can charge our devices.鈥�
The one source of power on the campus, the Bradshaw Fitness Center emerged as a beacon of hope. A vestige from the building’s days as part of the Memorial Hermann Hospital system campus, it was the only structure on the HCU campus with electricity. As temperatures soared outside to dangerous levels, the fitness center offered a sanctuary, a place of refuge from the storm’s wrath.
Darius Young, HCU鈥檚 Asst. AD/Facilities, Ticket Operations & Athletic Alumni Engagement made it his mission to ensure that students and staff had access to much needed electricity and internet at the Bradshaw. 鈥淲ell, my house lost power at the same time the school lost power, just like everybody else did,鈥� Darius recalled.聽 Darius collaborated with HCU鈥檚 Chief of Police, John Karshner and Steve Moniaci, HCU鈥檚 Director of Athletics. The trio got together and decided to open Bradshaw so students, as well as visiting camps, could have some A/C relief, some internet and a place to keep cool. 鈥淚鈥檝e been opening up every day trying to get here around 9 o鈥檆lock in the morning and I leave about 10 o鈥檆lock at night.鈥�
Craig Doty, HCU鈥檚 new James Sears Bryant Head Men鈥檚 Basketball Coach, was instrumental in finding solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems Beryl left in her wake. 鈥淢y student athletes arrived on campus and a hurricane hit, so everything continued to get pushed back and tabled and then with some flooding around campus immediately, and needing access to food and just trying to find creative solutions, what we鈥檝e found is this: if there鈥檚 going to be a hurricane that causes some trouble, you want to be a part of a family like 麻豆视频.鈥�
What inspired Coach Doty was his discovery about the HCU community. 鈥淭here are so many to thank, I don鈥檛 even know where to start. But I do know this鈥� that it鈥檚 the community that came together and worked to find these solutions so that our people were taken care of to the best of their ability.鈥�
Students, coaches and staff huddled together, sharing stories, laughter, and even resources. Food, a now-precious commodity, and the simple act of sharing a meal took on new significance.
The days that followed the storm were marked by a collective spirit of resilience. As power was restored a full week after the storm passed, the campus slowly returned to normal. HCU鈥檚 campus re-opened on July 17, 2024. But the experience of weathering the storm together had forged an unbreakable bond among the HCU community.
In the face of adversity, the HCU community had discovered a strength and resilience that surprised even themselves. The storm had tested their limits, but it had also revealed the depth of their compassion and care for one another. As the power began to flicker back on and normalcy slowly returned, the memory of those challenging days would serve as a testament to the enduring spirit of 麻豆视频.
In the end, Hurricane Beryl was more than just a weather event. It was a catalyst for bringing people together, for fostering a sense of community, and for discovering unexpected sources of strength.
Perhaps MBA Student Jason Barnes said it best. 鈥淕od has really touched the lives of each and every one one of us. We can be appreciative for even the smallest things.鈥�