Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
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" MY HOME IS GONE...I HAVE NO HOME" . It was August 29th when Reisha Bullock's world came crashing down...literallly. Her home in New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina...leaving her homeless.
"...JUST BEING AWAY FROM MY FAMILY...NOT KNOWING WHERE HALF OF MY FAMILY IS....STILL...I HAVE 2 BROTHERS ON MY DAD'S SIDE AND WE HAVEN'T FOUND THEM YET." .
Reisha and her mother Vanette Jones evacuated the day before Katrina hit...leaving for Baton Rouge...
a 45 minute drive that took 4 1/2 hours. She watched with the rest of the country as the hurricane
wept through her hometown. . "YOU SEE ALL THE PEOPLE AT THE SUPERDOME...MY GRANDMOTHER WAS THERE...SHE HAS ALZHEIMERS...SHE WAS IN A HOME...THEY DIDN'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION...I WATCHED MY MOM CRY ALL NIGHT CAUSE THAT'S HER MOM. " .
"THERE'S NIGHTS I JUST GO HOME AND CRY BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER. IT JUST HURTS TO KNOW YOU HAVE NOTHING TO GO BACK TO." .
"YOU NEED TO KNOW ALL THE POSITIONS HERE INCLUDING THAT ONE." . Reisha may not have her literal home to go back to...but she feels at home at Taylorsville High School.
The 5-10 guard moved in with some close family friends...Trent and Beverly Harrison...
giving Reisha a 2nd chance to play senior season. .
"SHE'S A GREAT KID...WE'VE KNOWN HER ALL HER LIFE" SO IT'S BEEN FUN."
"WE'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU COME OVER AND SET A SCREEN" .
Reisha did admit she had to think about the move, even though she was born in Salt Lake City,
and her father Michael played basketball at Salt Lake Community College. Her teammates from Louisiana are scattered around the country...
but her new teammates are thrilled that this warrior...is now a Warrior. .
"WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT? I'M GLAD SHE'S ON MY TEAM AND NO ONE ELSES." .
"I WAS WAY EXCITED...A NEW GIRL FROM LOUISIANA AND EXCITED TO SEE WHAT SHE COULD BRING TO THE TEAM."
"IN A SHORT TIME...REISHA HAS MADE A BIG IMPACT WITH TAYLORSVILLE. SHE LEADS THE TEAM WITH 14 PPG...AND THE COACH SAYS WITH HER SUPERB PASSING...SHE ALSO LEADS THE TEAM IN ASSISTS." .
But Reisha brings much more than just statistics to Taylorsville. She brings perspective...humility...
and the hope of better future. .
"I WANT TO MAJOR IN PRE MED, I WANT TO BE A DERMATOLOGIST...LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO COLLEGE...JUST BEING A DIFFERENT PERSON." .
. Reisha was a much different person friday night. Her mother, and former high school coach, made a suprise visit to watch her play.
The first time they've seen each other since Reisha left her family behind. .
"IT MEANS ALOT...YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH YOU CAN MISS YOUR CHILDREN." .
With her mom in the gym...and Reisha on cloud 9...life is good.
Though her father passed away 4 years ago...and Katrina took away her home...Reisha says the tide...is now turning in her favor. .
"I THINK GOD HAS A PLAN FOR EVERYBODY AND I THINK THIS IS MY YEAR. "
