There are currently 14 further memorial crosses on Canal St; Meet the team that created them

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – The third collection of 14 crosses arrived on Canal Street Sunday morning (Jan. 5).

The faith-based team behind the latest monument says they have traveled from across the country to support New Orleans in prayer.

“They ask, ‘Where is God? And what’s happening? We are here to show them that God is in each of us,” said Sarah Sekki, director of Hearts of Mercy and Compassion at Lutheran Church Charities.

Sekki flew from Chicago to New Orleans with 14 empty hearts and a typewriter on vinyl. She says that after sharing information about the victims with the public, she added their names to each heart.

Volunteers construct Hearts of Mercy and Compassion for the 14 innocent victims of the Bourbon attack... — Volunteers construct Hearts of Mercy and Compassion for 14 innocent victims of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack(WVUE)

Sekki claims the last heart was made in her hotel room hours before the memorial was erected, after LaTasha Polk’s family identified her as the last unknown victim.

“The plan was to cause as much destruction as possible,” Sekki said. “Thank God he stopped three blocks away, but many people died. We care about them.”

The names of all 14 victims were placed along Canal Street in the Bourbon Street Memorial... — The names of all 14 victims were placed along Canal Street in a memorial to the Bourbon Street terrorist attack.(WVUE)

Chaplain Tony Dickey was right next to Sekki early Sunday morning, twisting crosses.

“It’s very, very important for these families to hold on to their faith because it’s what gets them through this,” Dickey says.

Terrorist ATTACK

In the days after the attack, Dickey was at University Medical Center with trauma patients.

He was there when quadriplegic victim Jeremy Sensky, in partnership with the United Cajun Navy and Pre-Mobil, was given a free, temporary wheelchair while his new custom chair was being built.

“These wheelchairs are very, very expensive,” Dickey explained. “They make over $40,000.”

Chaplain Tony Dickey says he is praying with survivors of the Bourbon Street terror... — Chaplain Tony Dickey says he prays with survivors of the Bourbon Street terrorist attack like Jeremy Sensky, a quadriplegic who was injured on New Year’s Day.(Tony Dickey)

On Bourbon Street, a few candles from the weekend’s vigil were still burning for those who died, despite Sunday morning’s rains.

“Our peace is not of this world,” Sekki said. “Our peace will be in heaven. But since we are here, he has given us mutual support.”

Persis has over 2,000 hours of training as a companion dog for people who have experienced traumatic... — Persis has more than 2,000 hours of training as a companion dog for people who have survived traumatic events, such as the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, her handler says.(WVUE)

Along with crosses, Lutherans brought four-legged emotional support.

Service dog Persis was transported from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Canal Street to comfort passersby. Her handler says she is one of 130 dogs in the program with more than 2,000 hours of training.

“We often go to school shootings that happened on a small campus,” Sekki said. “It’s still very tragic, but maybe less for the community, less for the nation as a whole.”

Dickey agrees that this tragedy feels different. He says it was the first time he saw New Orleans mourn our dead.

“We honor them with a street parade, music, bands and dancing to music in the street. This is New Orleans,” Dickey said. “This doesn’t happen at any other mass event I’ve been involved in. I can tell you that.

Persis, a therapy animal, is sent to New Orleans to help mourners cope with... — Persis, a therapy animal, is sent to New Orleans to help mourners cope with the shock of the terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in the early days of the New Year.(WVUE)

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