Sculpture For Katrina Anniversary

A new marlin sculpture was officially unveiled on Biloxi's town green today, 8/29/2009. It was crafted by the ironically named Florida artist Marlin Miller.

“It's a 24-foot marlin and [my wife] said that's kind of arrogant isn't it to think you're going to do the final sculpture as a self-portrait,” says Marlin Miller with chuckles from the assembled audience.
Not only is this sculpture nice to look at but the artist says it also tells the story of Biloxi's rebuilding.

“Having endured what they did and come back from this storm with all this debris and have the spirit to rebuild I think these small gestures like this assisted that,” says Miller. He says he's been beautifying the Mississippi Gulf Coast with free artwork like this for two years. It's made from an old oak tree killed by Katrina flooding and it's the last of 40 pieces. A group of school children read the names of local people killed in Katrina. Biloxi lost 51. The ceremony was a chance to reflect on heroes of the storm.

“Today I remember the first responders I remember their friendship their compassion and their gifts to express the inexpressible,” says Reverend Harold Roberts with the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi. Speakers stressed the need to teach later generations about the danger in nature.

“As they get ready for the next big storms it's up to us to make them understand what these great storms are capable of,” says Executive Director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Mike Womack. It's also a chance to hope this never happens again.

“And there are people who believe that this was the worst storm we could ever have well I certainly hope it is, but there are no guarantees,” says Womack. City officials say Biloxi is building back stronger and smarter since the storm.