Hurricane victims get chance to fly to new beginning

BAKER – San Diego businessman David Perez opened his heart – and wallet – to more than 70 Hurricane Katrina survivors housed at Bethany World Prayer Center’s shelter.
Perez, chief operating officer and chairman of Surge Global Energy, invested more than $200,000 of his own money to help those devastated by Katrina and took them back to San Diego to rebuild their lives.
“I’m just coming here and giving some help to these people,” Perez said. “Nobody is giving me a dime, it’s all from my personal savings.”
Perez said the government is taking too long to assist evacuees.
“It’s almost a week,” Perez said before he turned around to passengers on the bus and asked if they wanted to wait any longer.
The answer was a resounding “no.”
“It’s time to put a plan in action,” Perez said. “Anything is better than hell. We need to get these kids fresh squeezed orange juice. We need to get these people good food and home cooked meals and good jobs.”
The bus then headed to Metro Airport and passengers boarded a Boeing 737 headed straight for southern California. Perez promised them jobs, financial assistance and housing aid once they arrived.
Perez said that Baton Rouge was the only area willing to assist him in his endeavors.
“I contacted the Sheriff’s Office in Baton Rouge (and) they put me in contact with the chancellor from LSU,” Perez said. “The chancellor put me in contact with SSD (Social Services Department), and SSD put me in contact with one of their volunteers and we got going.”
LSU student Carlo Malacon received Perez’s call.
“I was working at the LSU Field House and someone there told them (SSD) I was good at finding information electronically,” Malacon said. “So they put me in charge of finding shelters for people.
“I heard about David and he asked for my help and I didn’t hesitate.”
Perez and volunteers at Bethany’s shelter assembled a list of people who were ready and willing to fly out with him to San Diego. Among those who jumped at the opportunity were 87-year-old New Orleans native Melba Lane and her daughter, 50-year-old Laura Sykes.
“Everything we had is underwater,” Lane said tearfully. “It shouldn’t have happened, but it did and all we can do now is pray.
“There’s nothing to go back to,” he said.
Lane said she trusts Perez with all her heart and believes that he is doing the best he can.
“I think everyone is doing what they can,” Lane said. “So many people have died. “They still haven’t found them all and so many people are trying to get a home. I think he is doing all the best he can.”
Sykes agreed everyone was doing what they could and said she was overwhelmed by Perez’s kindness.
“Everyone has just been wonderful,” Sykes said. “They have given us everything we need – food, clothing, toiletries – you name it.
“It’s just been unbelievable kindness and what this man is doing for us shows that they still have some good people in the world.”
Sykes said though she does not want to relocate, she feels that she and her mother have no choice.
“I do plan to come back,” Sykes said. “New Orleans is all I know. I have been there all my life.”
Perez also filled chartered planes with food, water and supplies for others in need.
“These are our fellow brothers, our sisters and our children.” Perez said. “They’re putting their lives in my hands and they don’t know me from Adam. This is what humanitarian effort is all about and I can’t let them down.”
Perez said the San Diego community will welcome the survivors with open arms and the community is supporting his efforts. He is planning to come back and get more people.
“The churches and pastors are coordinating an effort to get in contact with whoever wants to go and (they) will be calling me with that this week.” Perez said.
Malacon said Perez is doing more than he could have ever imagined.
“There’s a difference between saying something and actually doing something,” Malacon said. “He is actually doing something.”