In a sign of hope and better things to come, blue skies and bright sunlight greeted the crowd of people and city leaders in Slidell’s Heritage Park Friday morning as a Hurricane Katrina Memorial was officially unveiled.

The memorial is a 13-foot high sculpture, created by former Slidell resident and artist John Doherty. The 1,200 pound piece, named “Fleur de Triomphe,” is made from a steel pipe and has a stylized fleur-de-lis that resembles a flame on the top. There is also a hurricane logo at the seven-foot mark of the sculpture that shows how high the water got at that spot in Heritage Park, Aug. 29, 2005, when Hurricane Katrina slammed into Slidell.

Mayor Freddie Drennan said that the dedication of the memorial was a “bittersweet” event, because of what Katrina did the city.

Slidell Mayor Freddie Drennan, fifth from right, and members of the Slidell City Council bow their head in prayer Friday morning as they dedicate the Katrina Memorial in Heritage Park. From left are Councilman Buddy Lloyd, Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith, Councilman Joe Fraught, Councilman Bill Borchert, Drennan, Council President Lionel Hicks and Councilman Sam Abney. (Staff Photo by Erik Sanzenbach)

“But it is more sweet than bitter,” Drennan told the crowd. “Look at all the sweet that is around us today.”

Doherty, who was not at the ceremony, is a 1984 graduate of Slidell High, and now lives in Denver, Colo. He donated the sculpture to the city, and paid for the transportation of the art piece to the city. All the materials that went into the piece, pipe, welding supplies, and other fabricating supplies also were donated by various companies from around the country.

Doherty’s mother, Pat Doherty-Taylor was at the ceremony. She said she did not know about the sculpture until a week ago.

“He didn’t tell me about it at all,” Taylor said. “He called me up and said he was sending it to Slidell.”

She said this is the biggest piece he has ever created. He usually works on jewelry.

“He did an iron gate for my backyard, and he built an iron bed, but nothing this big,” Taylor said.

Asked why he did not come to the ceremony, Taylor said, “He’s not one to be in the limelight. He just wanted to do it.”

She said he felt he owed it to Slidell, and he wanted the people of the city to have it.

“It’s the only piece he has never signed,” Taylor said. “He didn’t want any big deal about it.”

Drennan thanked Doherty for the gift, and said that it really symbolizes the spirit and tenacity of the residents of Slidell.

“When I went out after the storm, I knew this city would rebound bigger and better,” Drennan said. “I knew that because I met other citizens out in the streets with chainsaws and tools working to clear up the streets. They did not sit down and ask others to help them.”

He pointed up to the seven-foot watermark on the Fleur de Triomphe. “I remember driving my boat here after the hurricane in seven feet of water. Today it is hard to realize there was that much water here.”

Chief of Police Randy Smith and Councilman Joe Fraught said the statue also reminds us of the hard work of the first responders who came out after the storm to rescue people.

“Without them, recovery would have been really, really hard,” Fraught, said.

The mayor went on to say that despite the destruction and carnage of Katrina, Slidell has come back bigger and better, and the statue is there to remind us what happened, but also to remind us to look forward.

“It was a real learning experience,” Smith said. “Katrina taught us a lot for the future.

Councilman Buddy Lloyd said the memorial is also an appreciation of the people who came back after the storm to rebuild.

“Without people, we wouldn’t have a city,” Lloyd said.