Survival story: Hurricane Katrina still haunts St. Pete man who rode out storm

A man who decided to ride out Hurricane Katrina now lives in St. Petersburg.

The storm destroyed Greg Rebstock's home. He still gets choked up talking about the devastation.

"It's beyond words. Bodies, my house was completely underwater," he said.

Rebstock and a friend attempted to evacuate but ended up riding out the storm 30 miles north of New Orleans at a friends house.

"Three days after the storm we were still cutting down trees with hand saws and an axe trying to get out," he said.

It was weeks before Rebstock returned to his neighborhood, south of the Lower 9th Ward.

When he did, he found cars and boats overturned, homes demolished and lives changed.

"I really didn't see or talk to anyone for weeks," he said. "I had no clue if they were dead alive. I had no clue."

With no reason left to stay, Rebstock moved to the Bay area.

"I didn't want to live in a FEMA trailer, so I came to this area," he said. "I walked into the Coca Cola plant in St. Petersburg and when I told them I was a bulk driver from New Orleans, they said come on in we've got a home for ya."

Years later--- the healing process continues.

"You never recover," he said. "I don't care how much money the government gives you, I don't care what they offer you to live in, it's never the same. It wont be the same."