Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Deputy comforts Hurricane Helene evacuees

RUSTON, La. (KTVE/KARD) – On Sunday, September 29, 2024, a family was traveling from Augusta, Georgia, to Texas after evacuating due to Hurricane Helene and encountered a Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Deputy.

The family began on a more than 12-hour drive from Georgia to Texas with just enough money to restart their lives following the destruction left behind by Hurricane Helene. Along the family’s route, they stopped at a rest stop in Lincoln Parish, where they interacted with Sheriff Deputy Morris Harrison. KTVE/KARD spoke to Harrison about the interaction.

The family first came to me they were just telling me that they were on a long drive and they were just tired and needed somewhere to rest and was it ok for them rest at the rest area which is what it’s for and I told the “hey it’s perfectly fine for you guys to sleep here tonight. I’ll be here if something happens for them.”

Morris Harrison | Sheriff Deputy, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office

The comforting interaction between Deputy Harrison and the Georgia family meant more than Harrison knew. After speaking, the family sent the email below to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office, commending the kindness of Deputy Harrison and expressing how much the encounter meant to their youngest son, who was celebrating his fifth birthday.

My name is Brandon Tellier. My family and I were displaced due to Hurricane Helene when it hit Augusta, GA and we had decided to head to Texas and start our lives over. On Sunday September 29 it was my youngest son’s birthday, he just turned 5 and we left Georgia. With just enough money to get to Texas and figure it out from there. My youngest, ever since he could speak has loved cops, last year he coded on us 3 times due to a really bad seizure, we almost lost him but thank God he is still with us today. I want to thank this amazing deputy. He was so kind and generous. Told us we were allowed to rest here for the night, and even made my youngest smile so big and is now pretending to be an officer at 8:30 pm on his birthday, because the officer was wearing his favorite color green. I wish that he knew my son like I do because with all we have been through with the hurricane and his seizures my son will remember this moment for the rest of his life and we were able to get a picture to remember the moment. We just want to say how much it meant to him, it may not have seemed it but he immediately wanted his toy badge and I’m sure he’ll be talking about it for days. This deputy was so kind and answered his questions and respected him. Not very many cops that we have interacted with took the time to do something like that for any of our kids and for the my wife and I will forever be grateful. I want to say a big thanks to this deputy and a thank you to all the men and women that serve Lincoln Parish. We have been through a lot in the last year but this meant more than I think the deputy may know.

Brandon Tellier, Hurricane Helene Evacuee

Deputy Harrison’s actions were not abnormal for him. He stated that he loves kids and will do anything for them. He spoke to KTVE/KARD about what it meant to impact a family going through a difficult time.

Anything that helps them just get over the stress of moving, starting completely over. That little sense of happiness and hope for them was the best thing that I could do.

Morris Harrison | Sheriff Deputy, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office

After receiving the kind words from the Tellier family, the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office put together a care package for the family’s youngest son. The care package included pencils, stickers, and patches used on the deputies’ uniforms.