One year later: ‘Where were you during Hurricane Arthur?’

New Brunswick — It was exactly one year ago when New Brunswick was hit by a storm the likes of which has never been seen in the former Picture Province. Hurricane Arthur ravaged properties, forests, power lines, and the hearts and souls of New Brunswickers. The storm unexpectedly devastated the once-proud province, bringing out the worst in its residents. The Manatee approached some civilians to ask: “Where were you during Hurricane Arthur?”

“I was at my parents’ house for a barbecue… It was terrible. Utter carnage. There were meats and corn flying all over the place, I could hear screaming. I ran to the bathtub and just sat there, hugging my knees, rocking back and forth, praying for it all to end.” — Randy Perkins, New Maryland.

“I remember after the storm, I went to stock up on food and water. What I saw… It wasn’t a society. It was chaos. People running out of gas stations with buckets of gas, everyone looking furtive like they thought they would be mugged. The Superstore had all its grocery carts stolen because people filled them with water bottles and ran. I thought the storm was bad, but it was the insane New Brunswickers after that were even worse.” — Sue Berkley, 31, Fredericton.

“Five of us stood there, looking at my back yard. It used to be a forest, and now it looks like the Irvings had a go at it. When the NB Power crews finally came around to clear up the fallen trees, I searched and searched for even just one small sapling to give me hope. There was none. There is none.” — Ian Gordon, 53, Woodstock.

“New Brunswick used to be whole. We won’t be for a long time. This shattered us, and I just don’t see us healing anytime soon. I was at the park. A park that no longer exists.” — Brenda Noseworthy, 45, Saint John.

“The end is nigh.” — Phil Flowers, Moncton.

“I was there. I stood in the eye of the storm, screaming to the heavens: ‘WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?!’ As the wind buffeted me, I heard a voice. It told me to heal the province — that it needed a hero. I took an oath that day to be New Brunswick’s salvation. I am… Hurricane Brian.” — Brian Gallant, 33, Fredericton.