Throughout the morning of Aug. 30th, 2017, which for many of us started very, very early, we woke to the water entering our homes uninvited. Nobody wanted it. Nobody asked for it. But it did happen.

Hurricane Harvey impacted over one-third of the state of Texas, much of that on the Gulf Coast. For residents across Mid and South Jefferson County, we saw more than 85 percent of our community affected.

One year later, our communities continue to rebuild. Contractors are signing new contracts every day to repair and remodel homes and return businesses back to usable status. The end in sight continues to be pushed back further and further, now extending into the first quarter of 2019. It may be longer.

Our governments continue to work through plans that will limit this type of event from causing the damage it did, in the future.

This means there are still many citizens not in their homes yet. So, while the rest of us have worked through the process and have regained some sense of normalcy in our lives, we need to be reminded of those who are still struggling.

On this day, one year ago, citizens that I never knew existed came walking into my life. They transported me to one section of town, where I was greeted by another family I never had had the honor of meeting previously. These folks brought us into their home, dried us off, let us charge our phones and gave us water before we got ahold of friends to come take us to the next stop.

As terrible as the flooding from Tropical Strom Harvey was, the outpouring of graciousness toward and from absolute strangers across our communities was nothing less than heaven sent.

Stories like mine are no different than the stories each of you have told and continue to tell until this very day. It’s been an emotional year. And through that year, we’ve seen bad and good throughout our community. But know that the “good” definitely outweighs the “bad” — by a wide margin.

Recovering from Harvey was a first for my family and me. But there are many of you that have been through difficulties like this over the years. Hurricane Ike and Hurricane Rita survivors say those were nothing like Harvey.

Harvey was worse. It was a different storm. It was one for which we weren’t ready.

But the resiliency of citizens across our communities never ceases to amaze me. Some of the best, strongest and kindest people I have ever met live right here in Jefferson County.

There’s no wonder why Texans are considered a completely different type of folk. Always willing to be there for their neighbors and friends. But with that, Southeast Texans are definitely the crème de la crème.    

I certainly hope we don’t have to go through anything like Ike, Rita or Harvey anytime in the near future. But the reality is that one day, we will.

But also the reality is, “There is no other place on earth I’d rather be when it does!”

More inside: Port Arthur News reporter Mary Meaux recounts her experiences during Hurricane and Tropical Storm Harvey on page A5.

Rich Macke is publisher of The Port Arthur News.