Houston Residents, Supporters Try To Fly Into Texas
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For some Houston residents who were out of town when Hurricane Harvey hit are now trying to get home.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli is at Midway Airport where he found some people trying to get to Houston any way they can.
And for many people that means taking the long way home.
Houston by way of Dallas is the quickest route for Jonette Martin who has been trying to make it home to her husband and kids for the past four days.
"They've been canceling my flight every day," Martin said.
And with both of Houston's airports closed, the mother of two decided to fly to Dallas where she plans to rent a car and drive the final 240 miles.
CBS: Do you even know if you can get to your house?
"No I don't but I do have friends and relatives in Dallas that I can stay with until I can get there," Martin said. "But I feel better being a little closer."
She just moved to Texas, in part, to escape Chicago's icy grip. Now her kids are off from school for a very different reason.
"Snow days we usually have so now we get hurricane days," Martin said.
So far her home in north suburban Spring, has only sprung a few leaks. But she's worried.
"Just moved in a couple of months ago. I would like to keep my house," Martin said.
Thousands of people aren't so lucky and find themselves among the newly homeless. That's why Ian Caruth said he plans to be helping evacuees in Dallas by late Tuesday afternoon.
"I just want to help other people in case one day I need that sort of assistance," Caruth said.
Andre White's family is caught in the flood zone. That's why he plans to head to Houston this weekend to help out in anyway he can.
"If I can get as close as I can, I have to do it for my family," White said.
Caruth remembers when Dallas needed and received support in the wake of a similar storm 12 years ago.
"A lot of people came to the Dallas area after Katrina and it was a hard time, so I just wanted to help out in whatever way I could," Caruth said.
The Dallas convention center is being converted into a mega shelter at the request of the state. It can accommodate more than 5,000 people.
