by Professor Ermelle Martinez
On the morning of Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Christopher Mercadel, Sr., an injured and retired Police Officer and Veteran, responded to news broadcasts and calls from former NOPD employees. He set out to rescue stranded citizens in Eastern New Orleans with his adult son and a neighbor, a Vietnam War Veteran. They entered the flood waters on his ski boat. Throughout the day, Mr. Mercadel filmed and photographed their rescue efforts.
As they entered the flood waters, a major Filmographer asked to join them. The Veteran refused, saying it was not a tour. Mr. Mercadel added, “I’m going to rescue people, and anything you capture belongs to me.” The Filmographer agreed.
Veterans Acted Despite PTSD
They spent nearly twelve hours rescuing stranded citizens. Both Veterans suffer from chronic PTSD. In 2015, after learning that President Obama was progressing with supports for Veterans affected by PTSD, I contacted the President. He responded and provided a link for Veterans, which appears in all of the films. The original film, “Who We Are Hurricane Katrina,” contains unseen and expertly captured footage. It won Best Filmography and Editing awards at the Southampton Film Festival in 2015.
Life events delayed our project’s progress. The film is part of a Trilogy. Part II, “Resilient Valor,” received the Self-Determination Award at the 2024 Kwanzaa Film Festival. Part I, “Resilient Valor,” won the 2024 Audience Award for Best Social Impact Story at the Essence Film Festival. President Obama’s link for Veterans with PTSD is cited in all of the films. Part III of the Trilogy is in development.
The films educate those who experienced the storm, revealing what actually happened. The Trilogy provides educational facilities with detailed safety measures and preparatory actions necessary to survive floods, winds, downed power lines, and damaged roadways. This knowledge is critical because New Orleans frequently experiences hurricanes, and many choose to “hunker down” rather than evacuate.
The Trilogy helps citizens prepare for and withstand hurricanes’ impacts. It engages viewers emotionally and visually, showing the real consequences of lost lives, damaged properties, businesses, and highways.
Recognizing the frequency of hurricanes, “Resilient Valor” explicitly shows the impacts of these storms. Additionally, the films focus on PTSD, revealing its symptoms and available treatment options.