LAKE CHARLES, La. — What once was a vibrant city has become ground zero for Hurricane Laura.
Despite the devastation, there's a resounding commitment to move forward by man across Lake Charles.
Shattered glass, downed power lines and houses and destroyed homes can be seen in the wake of Laura.
Several of the Lake Charles Police Department buildings were damaged, including its investigative unit. It's a complete loss.
Deputy Chief Franklin Fondel says for many of his officers, the direct hit is personal. He called the storm a 'total tragedy' for his city.
"We have officers that have lost homes but are still here at work doing a tremendous job for the city of Lake Charles and to protect the city while we have residents that are out," Fondel said.
Southeast Texas has also seen a fair share of natural disasters and law enforcement agencies from Louisiana have been been there to support the recovery process.
Kane Dean is the vice president of the Beaumont Police Officers Association.
"We know what the damages are all about. We know how they struggle, we know how the no power, we know how the no hot meals, we know about sleeping in cots, we have been down that road before," Dean said.
In an effort to pay it forward, the group fed dozens of law enforcement officers a jambalaya lunch on Thursday as a token of appreciation as they deal with Laura's aftermath.
"We know what they feel, we know what they are going though. We're able to come in with that meal and in the back of their mind, it's like 'hey keep going.' This is going to keep going. We're behind you 100 percent no matter if you're law enforcement or any one else," Dean said.
Even amid tragedy, gestures like this serve as a reminder for Deputy Fondel that there are still good people in the world.
"Lake Charles is a resilient city, we will bounce back. It will take us a little bit but we will bounce back. We thank everybody for their help in assisting us in our time of need," Fondel said.