After Hurricane Ike flooded an estimated 99 percent of Bridge City’s homes and businesses, Mary Stanton says residents were happy to see FEMA workers arrive.

Now, a year later, they’re happy to see them go.

“I don’t know which feeling was the best,” Stanton said, explaining the departures mean the town is mending.

Happy dances, hugs and laughter filled the Bridge City Community Center and grounds Sunday, the one-year anniversary of Ike’s hit. Bridge City Mayor Kirk Roccaforte said he figured more than half of residents are back in their home and about 95 percent of businesses are back. The event, called We Remember, featured music, hot dogs and games to cheer and unite residents.

Stanton gets to visit with half the town as they come into the Exxpress Mart No. 1 in Bridge City, and said residents were excited about this day of healing.

“Everybody looked forward to this big time. We’re having a great time celebrating,” she said.

Many folks are saying the town looks better than it ever did with all the new construction, Stanton said.

Audrey Breaux said Ike gave a chance for people to show their true colors.

“Everybody works together,” she said.

Breaux said she thought about leaving town after the storm, but decided to stay put.

“I’m so glad I did,” Breaux said.

Bethany Stanton, Mary’s granddaughter, said that this past year friends at Bridge City High School would spend lunch going around the table with tales of destruction. Now topics are lighter.

“But I don’t think we’ll ever be quite the same,” she said.

ddoiron@panews.com