As the storm raged on in downtown Sulphur, local business owner Raina Valkoun fought for her life and the lives of her customers at Raina’s Sports Lounge. With many regulars gathered inside, the walls of the bar began to crumble, trapping them all within.
Raina described a typical Saturday night at her bar, with a full house of customers enjoying each other’s company. But as the storm hit, everything changed. The building started to collapse, and Raina found herself buried under five feet of debris. It took 45 minutes for first responders to rescue everyone from the rubble, but one long-time friend and customer did not make it out alive.
Raina expressed her grief over the loss of both her friend and her business while being grateful for surviving the ordeal. She recounted the harrowing experience of being trapped and uncertain of her fate, hoping that her friend had found a way to survive as well. Despite the devastation, Raina was thankful to still be alive and witness others who had also survived the storm.
State officials reported approximately 30 injuries from the storm, with about half of those occurring in Raina’s bar. The impact of the storm had a profound effect on Raina and her community, leaving them to cope with loss while being grateful for the gift of life.
