A.E. Francois
Mignon Francois
Jacques FrancoisNASHVILLE, Tenn. -
As the Gulf Coast braces for Hurricane Isaac, many people in Middle Tennessee feel a sense of déjà vu, especially those with deep ties to the Big Easy.
"Here I am in Nashville making cupcakes and putting smiles on faces and underneath my skin I'm wondering if my mom is okay," said A.E. Francois, a New Orleans native, who owns The Cupcake Collection in Germantown with his wife, Mignon.
The couple was celebrating their first year in Nashville in August of 2005 when Hurricane Katrina struck their hometown.
Their then 15-year-old son Jacques was still living in New Orleans at the time and evacuated at the eleventh hour.
While the couple does worry for family and friends who decided to stay in New Orleans during Hurricane Isaac, they point out that hurricanes are not as concerning to those who grew up with fond and funny memories of weathering storms.
"We would boil crawfish, laugh and joke, and play cards," said A.E.
"There are memories you have of hurricane season of closeness and togetherness," Mignon added.
"I guess what people don't realize is [that] hurricanes bring you together. Whether it's because disasters happen or your family is stuck together."
This time around, Jacques, now 22, evacuated to Nashville and surprised his father.
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