A new home, a new friend

By AMY FOSTER / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Five-year-old Alex Ellis and his family were forced to evacuate their New Orleans home when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. The family was forced to leave almost everything, including Alex’s Chihuahua. (Amy Foster photo)

Since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, families have been forced to relocate and start over.

For Jan Ellis, her daughter Danice, and grandson Alex, leaving many years of memories has not been easy. The storm forced the Ellises to pack what they could and board an airplane to Tennessee leaving behind almost everything, including their personal items and Alex’s Chihuahua named Cocoa Root Beer.

“Alex got Cocoa after his daddy died about a year ago,” Danice said.

After over a week of crying for his dog, Jan and Danice decided to get Alex a new dog to have in McMinnville. The two picked out an 8-week-old Cocker Spaniel and brought the dog to Gentle Touch Grooming Shop for a bath and haircut. Later Monday afternoon, they brought Alex to the shop to surprise him.

Kathy Farr, one of the owner’s of Gentle Touch, told Alex that Cocoa had spoken to her on the phone. “We didn’t have anyone to watch Cocoa when we left and had to go to the airport so we couldn’t fly with my dog,” Alex said when Farr asked him about what had happened to Cocoa.

Farr went on to tell Alex that Cocoa had also sent a package. Then Jan, known has Nana to Alex, brought out the dog for him to see.

While Alex was getting to know the new addition to their family, Jan and Danice talked about their new lives in Tennessee.

“We wouldn’t go back now even if our house was OK,” Jan said. “We are all happy here and there is trauma there for us.”

Danice added about 85 percent of the their friends lost everything. The Ellises are unable at this time to get back into their neighborhood to see what the current damage is to their property. Jan actually broke her foot while getting the house ready for the storm and evacuating. She didn’t find out she had broken her foot until arriving in Tennessee.

“We are all having nightmares still,” Danice said.

The Ellises say that, along with their new puppy, they are planning to stay in McMinnville for many years.

“We are so lucky,” Jan said. “We have each other. We are all safe. We have family up here that loves us and we have met wonderful people.”

Alex is currently attending West Elementary and is in Jane Moore’s kindergarten class.