lawgator1
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Wednesday morning, Danny Wuerffel wept.
The images of flooded streets near his New Orleans home, combined with his round-the clock efforts to rescue and rebuild his ministry, finally overwhelmed him.
"I was picturing in my mind and weeping for all the people who were there," said Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and Gator legend. "I think of that much chaos and the way in which people died and the way they are still dying."
Since retiring from football in 2004, Wuerffel has worked with Desire Street Ministries and Desire Street Academy, the 192-student, all-male school. The ministries strive to help revitalize the Desire neighborhood.
But 11 days ago, he, his wife and son Jonah evacuated, landing at Wuerffel's parents' house in Destin. Wednesday, Wuerffel said his home in the Lakeview area of New Orleans was likely under water. He hopes for better fortune for the ministries' facilities in the Ninth Ward, one of the city's hardest-hit sections.
Wuerffel says the ministries will thrive again. All but one academy staffer has been tracked down, and almost half the students have been located in shelters. The search for the rest, Wuerffel said, is the ministries' top priority.
On Oct. 3, Wuerffel hopes the academy will reopen with a temporary home at a conference center near Jackson, Miss.
"Nothing hardly ever rattles Danny Wuerffel," former UF and current South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier said. "He's a good person to have helping lead that school and the inner-city kids in New Orleans.''
The images of flooded streets near his New Orleans home, combined with his round-the clock efforts to rescue and rebuild his ministry, finally overwhelmed him.
"I was picturing in my mind and weeping for all the people who were there," said Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner and Gator legend. "I think of that much chaos and the way in which people died and the way they are still dying."
Since retiring from football in 2004, Wuerffel has worked with Desire Street Ministries and Desire Street Academy, the 192-student, all-male school. The ministries strive to help revitalize the Desire neighborhood.
But 11 days ago, he, his wife and son Jonah evacuated, landing at Wuerffel's parents' house in Destin. Wednesday, Wuerffel said his home in the Lakeview area of New Orleans was likely under water. He hopes for better fortune for the ministries' facilities in the Ninth Ward, one of the city's hardest-hit sections.
Wuerffel says the ministries will thrive again. All but one academy staffer has been tracked down, and almost half the students have been located in shelters. The search for the rest, Wuerffel said, is the ministries' top priority.
On Oct. 3, Wuerffel hopes the academy will reopen with a temporary home at a conference center near Jackson, Miss.
"Nothing hardly ever rattles Danny Wuerffel," former UF and current South Carolina Coach Steve Spurrier said. "He's a good person to have helping lead that school and the inner-city kids in New Orleans.''
