Hurricane Hugo--15 Years Ago Today---Sept. 21, 1989

[charleston_hugo_veteran]

My local T.V. stations will be airing specials on this tonight.
Someone PLEASE tell me WHY anyone in there right mind wants to be reminded of this devastation??

It's like pouring salt in a wound!

[Innotech]

because humanity needs to be humbled and reminded of what is REALLY in charge.

[charleston_hugo_veteran]

I don't need a re-hash of harsh reality to know who is in charge....!

[krisj]

I wasn't here for Hugo, in fact, 15 years ago, I had heard of Hugo and then promptly went on with my life. There are many people new to the Low Country who probably are interested. I know when hurricanes are on tract to possibly come here, I do ask questions and people that were here during Hugo let me know of how bad it can be.
I don't think it is to remind those who have been through Hugo, but rather for those who live here now that are interested in Hugo and history.

[rjp]

It's good to remind people what happened. I was just 6 at the time and vaguely remember the aftermath (like falling off of a downed tree--ouch). Like krisj said, those that weren't around have no idea and would be more inclined to stay if an evacuation were ordered. If anything it'll keep people aware that really have no idea!

[cswitwer]

I wasn't here either, but maybe they show those programs to help everybody remember how bad it was (for future evacuation purposes), and how well they've recovered since. Even in the Marion Beidler (sp?) forest, they say it's hard to tell where all the devestation was.

And while they may watch TV shows about it, some of my pals are too superstitious to actually utter the name. They just say, "the hurricane" after hesitating a while.

[chadtm80]

I think its VERY important that they show it and talk about it.. What would we gain from not discussing it or watching about it? We need to remember.. And that is why I would assume your member name has Hugo in it.. For rememberance.. Right?

[Josephine96]

I remember Hugo and I was only about 6 1/2 years old.. what a storm

[Anonymous]

charleston hugo vet,

I hear what you are saying. You know that hardly a day goes by that I don't think about that late night 15 yrs ago. I had been in Elaine in 1985 in western coastal AL, but I guess not close enough to the center to fully understand. But that night in MT. Pleasant I will never forget.
It was a life altering experience, or a marker to me of a certain history in my life and just like I remember my first true girlfriend I will always remember Hugo.
I am sure this is true for many people that have been in other extreme drama of nature.
I have a framed satellite photo of the storm making landfall & one of the windfield as it moved all the way up into the Piedmount of NC. They are on the wall in our Family room. Many times people have asked me about Hugo and when I tell them some of things that I witnessed that night , I'm sure they thought I was embellishing my account of Hugo.
As this was pre Andrew & Opal, not to mention the current season - I doubt some would question or doubt my account today.

Some things you just can't forget - I am told the day Kennedy was shot to be a prime example, I know the Space Shuttle disaters are, of course 9-11 and we all have our own smaller scale disaters that mark our histories.

Take Care,
Mike

[gratefulnole]

charleston hugo vet,

Many times people have asked me about Hugo and when I tell them some of things that I witnessed that night , I'm sure they thought I was embellishing my account of Hugo.

Take Care,
Mike

Mike:
Now you have to give us a "short" version of that night!

[nativeflacracker]

I don't understand why your name/id then if you don't want to be reminded of it?

[Chilly_Water]

CHV-it's because Charleston came together after that. Neighbors met neighbors that they had never met before. Everybody was helping one another in clean-up. Mr. Scott over at the Wreck was serving breakfast to the Old Village workers from an old shrimp shack that got blown in half by Hugo, hence the birth of one of the best seafood joints in Chucktown.(If I hear anyone from this board going to Hyman's for "the best seafood in town", I'll shoot myself) And, most importantly, we get to see the goofy Mr. Bill Walsh back when he weighed a couple pounds less.

Also, "through hell and high water." Charleston is a proud city. When something devastates the city(and there have been QUITE a few times dating back to 1699 when a hurricane AND a yellow fever epidemic wiped out the peninsula in the same year, it's lucky they persisted), it rebuilds the structures and lives and rebuilds its pride even stronger. These events make us stronger and give Charleston its character.

[iluvseashore]

I agree with Chad. Those of us who have never witnessed the power of a hurricane need to remember. Its one of the important tools to show everyone just how dangerous these things are. There are so many snowbirds migrating south that have absolutely no idea what a hurricane is. They even see them in the same way as tornados. They just don't get it. If the emergency officials expect people to evacuate or take precations for life and property people everywhere need to remember the dangerous storms of the past.

[mascpa]

I didn't experience Hugo firsthand but I remember pictures of the devastation. My sister lived on St. Johns when Hugo hit. I remember her calliing early on and telling me how "cool" the beginning of the storm was. Well the house she was in was destroyed and she had to run for her life. She left the Virgin Islands three days later and never went back !! The experience changed her life forever.

[Stormsfury]

I still remember Hugo like it was yesterday ... and today being the 15th year anniversary is a definite milestone IMO ... and fortunately, the scenario 5 days ago with Ivan's projected stall NOT happening, which could have easily sent Jeanne on us tonight on the 15th year anniversary ....

Today is a far cry weatherwise from that night ... the weather is absolutely PERFECT ... clear blue skies, light gentle breeze, low humidities, and comfortable temperatures.

SF

[hiflyer]

consider the fact that the majority of our coastline population is fairly recent to the area...we all have seen construction on top of construction for the last 15 years near the water. reminders such as the upcoming one of Hugo is proabably being considered a public service announcement during this height of a higher than normal hurricane season...compared to what we have had over the past years. of course no one who was there needs to be reminded....it's directed at your new neighbors.

[cswitwer]

In response to Chilly Water's comment about neighbors coming together, I have a colleague who tells the story about getting information directed through Chicago that night... it wasn't just the neighbors (although they did remarkable things for each other).

Apparently, the radio towers here were all inoperable, so the battery-operated radios didn't do anybody any good until they found this ONE call in radio show being broadcast from Chicago. People who had miraculously been blessed with working phones started calling in to Chicago because they knew everybody here was able to get that one station. The Chicago station immediately responded and just let Charlestonians talk to one another via the radio show. Clean up and help and medical supplies, etc, were initially organized this way, neighborhood by neighborhood.

From the Windy City. Wow. Sometimes I forget how amazing people are!

[charleston_hugo_veteran]

I don't understand why your name/id then if you don't want to be reminded of it?

I am a hurricane Hugo VETERAN....and the reason I came up with that name is because I feel the word VETERAN, at times, deals with WAR. I felt like I was in my own private hell, that night! I have not been the same since and can't imagine anyone wanting to watch peoples lives being ruined! How is that entertainment??

I was 24 at that time so it was a vivid experience for me!

[Carolinagirl]

I too am a Hugo veteran. I got married on September 16th and then Hugo hit on the 21st. The first three weeks of my marriage was without power!!! If that's not a way to break a marriage in!! As much as I hated every minute of it and am still scared to death of storms, Hugo was a big part of our new life and watching the specials brings back both horrendous and some good memories. I'm not diminishing Hugo by any means, as a friend of our neice was killed in the clean up. I guess I'm trying to say that different people watch these shows for different reasons.

[SCshorty]

Hugo was a scary and life changing storm for all of us who went through it. I can understand that for some watching specials and seeing footage of the damage is just not helpful and is too painful. But, for others, it brings a sort of healing not only to remember, but to think on how far things have come since that night. My children love to see and hear stories about Hugo....it helps them to understand a part of my life from before they were born. Like many have said, there are so many people new to the area, and they have no idea what a hurricane of that strength can do. It is one thing to read the list of needed preps in the newspaper at the start of hurricane season....but to have visual images in your mind makes you really think of how much you need to do to be prepared.