Hurricane Rita

As of January of 2006 Americorps plans to continue to send relief to the affected areas.
. The crews performed a number of relief tasks free of charge for hurricane survivors in need, including but not limited to support on the Fema/Carnival Cruise Lines shelter ship, tarping damaged roofs, and debris removal. Wrestlers and wrestling personalities from all around the world of wrestling were in attendance, including:. The crews originated from two main organizations, the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and the Washington Conservation Corps (WCC). and Valerie Coleman Graham all spoke at the funeral. Americorps sent several crews to Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana in response to the Gulf Storms of 2005, namely Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, John "Bradshaw" Layfield, Vince McMahon, Tom Prichard, all of Guerrero's brothers, one of his sisters, Chavo Guerrero, Jr.

The Red Cross also expanded their Hurricane Katrina internet "Safe List" for use by those affected by Hurricane Rita. The private service was performed by retired wrestler "Superstar" Billy Graham. The American Red Cross continued to provide disaster relief to Hurricane Katrina affected areas, but as a result of Hurricane Rita, had to open additional shelters in other gulf states. Eddie Guerrero's funeral took place on Thursday, November 17 in Phoenix, Arizona at Green Acres Cemetery. It is their mission to provide relief support for all of the areas in Texas and Louisiana effected by the two storms and to remove obstructions that might otherwise hinder help to those affected. In addition to the RAW and SmackDown! tribute shows, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling dedicated the pay-per-view TNA Genesis (which aired the evening of his passing) to Guerrero. ^{[50] [51]} The 1,400 Oregonian soldiers and airmen, including the 1st Batallion of the 186th Infantry which is designated a quick response unit, are joined by engineers and military police from Louisiana, a Stryker brigade from Pennsylvania, and an engineering batallion from Missouri. These shows were similar in format to the RAW is Owen special edition of RAW, which paid tribute to the late Owen Hart, and the SmackDown! special in Houston, Texas two days after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Douglas Pritt of the 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, head of Joint Task Force Rita (formally called JTF Ponchartrain). A similar video was shown on Friday Night Smackdown to "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down. Gen. A video was then shown featuring many clips of Guerrero in and out of the ring to "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. On September 24, 2005, following the havoc caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the National Guard named Brig. RAW started off with all the superstars and several personnel on stage, as Vince McMahon addressed the live crowd. Refineries directly impacted by the storm include:. No WWE employees were compelled to perform, although several matches took place, including one featuring Chavo.

Due to the impending oil shortage and increasing gas prices, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declared what he termed "snow days," closing all Georgia public primary and secondary schools on September 26 and 27 to conserve fuel for buses. The episodes of RAW on November 14, 2005, and Friday Night SmackDown! on November 18, 2005, each aired as a tribute to Eddie Guerrero. Some economists argue that the rebuilding effort could buoy the economy in 2006, while others argue that the energy spike could decrease consumer confidence by enough to send the economy into a full-fledged recession when combined with the Federal Reserve's recent increases in interest rates. Stephanie McMahon hinted, and other sources confirmed, that Guerrero had been scheduled to defeat Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship, which would have begun Guerrero's first reign as World Heavyweight Champion. The most pessimistic projections have GDP growth cut by 1% on an annualized basis in the United States in the second half of 2005, with as many as 500,000 people made unemployed. On the day of his death, Guerrero was set to face Batista and Randy Orton in a triple threat match for the World Heavyweight Championship on the November 13 taping of Friday Night SmackDown! (which would have aired on November 18). With some 200,000 jobless claims attributed to Katrina, Rita could be a further drag on a weakened US economy. noted that, while many people abuse drugs for over ten years with no ill effects, Guerrero, despite having ceased to abuse drugs four years earlier, had suffered heart complications that were not detected in time to prevent his death.

However the oil industry escaped essentially unscathed from the storm and post-storm predictions estimated only minor price rises. Guerrero, Jr. With over half of Gulf production still shut down in the wake of Katrina, some economists have stated that a worst case scenario is for gasoline prices to briefly touch $5/US gallon ($1.30/L), which would be easily the highest real price for gasoline paid in the United States during the internal combustion era. There had been no symptoms or cause for concern. Rita's path takes it through a dense area of offshore pipelines and oil platforms, and on land to an area with large refineries. said that Guerrero had been working very hard and was at peak physical fitness as a result, doing cardiovascular and weight training exercises every day. Currently, there is very little spare crude oil capacity in the United States, and the Gulf of Mexico produces some 2 million barrels per day (300,000 m³) total, as well has having some 30% of the total refining capacity of the United States, which is the world's largest consumer of gasoline and crude oil. On the November 30, 2005 edition of WWE Byte This!, Chavo Guerrero, Jr.

The heavy concentration of oil infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico makes hurricanes of Rita's intensity very problematic. She added that the doctors had told her that Guerrero's blood vessels had shriveled and weakened owing to undiagnosed heart disease, and that he had simply dropped into a deep sleep. Bolivar Peninsula between Galveston and Sabine Pass had only a small ocean surge, in contrast to the eastern side of Rita's center which sent a 20 foot ocean surge through Louisiana's unprotected towns. Guerrero's wife Vicky said that he had been lethargic and unwell in the week preceding his death, but that this had been attributed to the stress of continuously traveling and performing. Rita's ocean surge was easily handled by Port Arthur's extensive levee system. At the time of his death, he had recently used narcotic painkillers. This placed most of the coastal community to the left of the eye and in the least damaging hurricane quadrant. Although Guerrero had not taken alcohol or illicit drugs for over four years, his past excesses contributed to his heart failure.

The "Golden Triangle" area was spared a more devastating ocean surge by the redirection of Rita's path hours before landfall. An autopsy revealed that Guerrero died as a result of acute heart failure, caused by undiagnosed arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and enlargement of the heart as a result of prior anabolic steroid abuse. Those displaced by Rita were offered up to 60 days of hotel rooms, generators, chainsaws, and monetary assistance by FEMA. Chavo adamantly defended his uncle, saying he had defeated his "personal demons." WWE Chairman Vince McMahon declined to speculate on the causes of Guerrero's death, and both men said that Guerrero would have "wanted the show to go on.". A mandatory evacuation was issued before Rita's landfall. The same day, WWE held a press conference with a speech from his nephew Chavo, who spoke of Guerrero's four years of sobriety that would have come on November 15 of that year. Some areas did not have power for more than six weeks. Several hours later, WWE.com released the following announcement:.

The water treatment plant in Port Neches was heavily damaged. On November 13, 2005, Guerrero was found dead in his hotel room in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at the Marriott City Center Hotel by his nephew, Chavo. An enormous number of houses and businesses suffered extensive damage due to falling trees and directly from Rita's winds. Kayfabe-wise, this was a Survivor Series qualification match which was to have Guerrero put in the Smackdown side of a brand-war Survivor Series match. In Groves, the home of Texas' Pecan Festival, an equal number of the pecan trees were leveled. Kennedy. In Beaumont an estimated 25% of the trees in the heavily wooded neighborhoods were uprooted. On the November 11 edition of Friday Night SmackDown!, Eddie Guerrero wrestled what turned out to be the final match of his career, a victory by disqualification using his trademark cheating tactics over Mr.

Texas Governor Rick Perry declared a nine county disaster area. Guerrero told him that Batista shaking his hand at No Mercy had returned his respect to him. All communities in the "Golden Triangle" formed by Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Orange sustained enormous damage from Rita's winds. Guerrero would tell Batista that he realized how low he had sunk since being WWE Champion in 2004, having attacked his best friend Rey Mysterio. ^[48]. Eventually, Batista and Guerrero would become allies against Randy Orton, Bob Orton and Ken Kennedy. ^[47] After water levels were lowered and an inspection was conducted by national and local experts, the dam was declared stable late on Monday, September 26, 2005. Though the two demonstrated mutual respect after the match, Guerrero seemed displeased by the loss.

Repairs to the dam are expected to take months to complete. During the match, Guerrero struggled with a decision about whether or not to use a steel chair to secure the victory, eventually opting not to use it and losing as a result. As reported by the a number of news outlets, on Sunday, September 25, 2005, this discharge put lives at risk downstream and threatened a major bridge as well due to a sizable barge coming adrift. Batista defeated Guerrero at No Mercy to retain his World title. North of Houston, the 2.5 mile Lake Livingston dam sustained substantial damage from powerful waves driven by 117 mph winds ^[46] and had to conduct an emergency release in order to lessen pressure on the dam. In response to Batista's suspicions, Guerrero helped Batista win a match against his tag team partners, John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Christian. ^[45]. However, Batista was wary of Guerrero and a series of matches with MNM only supported his suspicions, as Guerrero appeared to have reverted to his cheating ways.

^[44] Thirty one deaths have been reported in Harris County, of which all of them were indirect (mostly related to the evacuation and cleanup). Despite this, Guerrero quickly proclaimed himself to be Batista's friend. Some windows blew out of some downtown skyscrapers, and some trees and signals were down. Following his feud with Rey Mysterio, Guerrero was named number one contender to the World Heavyweight Championship and given a title match with Batista at No Mercy 2005. For the most part, Houston escaped major damage, apart from extensive loss of power. Their emotional feud ended at the premiere of Friday Night SmackDown!, where Guerrero finally gained a victory over Mysterio in a steel cage match. ^[43]. At SummerSlam 2005, Guerrero lost a ladder match over Dominik's custody to Mysterio.

Around midnight, a vacant restaurant collapsed nearby, which was reportedly as a result of the fire that weakened the walls. He claimed he then allowed Mysterio and his wife, who were "having trouble conceiving", to adopt the child as their own. No serious injuries were reported in the fire. He claimed that he had a child out of wedlock (Dominik) while his marriage was going through hard times. However, the fire department was able to fight the blaze and prevent it from spreading through the city. The following weeks had Guerrero revealing the details of the secret in a series of what he called "Eddie's Bedtime Stories". In the late evening, a fire broke out in the Strand District of Galveston, Texas, gutting several homes. Yet Guerrero revealed the secret any way on the following episode of SmackDown! - telling Dominik and the audience that Guerrero was his real father.

^[42]. Rey defeated Guerrero at the Great American Bash, a match with a stipulation that if Guerrero lost, he would not tell the secret. ^[40][41] Many of the passengers were mobility-impaired making escape difficult or impossible. The storyline (which involved equal parts of work and truth, and had Rey's full approval) grew to involve the families of both men, with both sides pleading for Guerrero not to reveal the secret. The fire started in the brake system, and the passengers' therapeutic oxygen tanks may have caused the bus to explode. Several weeks after the match at Judgment Day, Guerrero threatened to reveal a secret about Rey and Rey's son Dominik. Twenty three people were killed as a result of that incident. At Judgment Day 2005 on May 22, Guerrero lost to Mysterio by disqualification.

On the morning of September 23, a bus carrying 45 nursing home evacuees from Brighton Gardens in Bellaire, Texas erupted into flames and exploded on Interstate 45 southeast of Dallas in Wilmer. At the end of one edition of SmackDown!, he viciously and emotionlessly beat up his former tag team partner, leaving him bruised and bloody after suplexing him onto a set of steel steps. This poor area was just getting back of their feet after feeling Category 2 winds when Hurricane Katrina moved through the area. During this time, he also stopped driving his low-riders down the ring and walked to the ring with a frown on his face, and reverted to using the Lasso from El Paso as his finishing move. Also Lauderdale County which is in east central Mississippi reported several confirmed and unconfirmed tornado touch downs in and near the cities of Marion and Meridian. Guerrero then adopted a new, somewhat sociopathic gimmick. There were several non-life threatening injuries. After several mishaps in the weeks following WrestleMania, the growing tension between Guerrero and Mysterio finally erupted when they lost their tag titles to new team MNM on the April 21 episode of SmackDown! Although they received a match to regain the titles, Guerrero turned heel once again by abandoning his partner, who he had dubbed "his family" earlier in the show.

There were also numerous mobile homes damaged at the University Hills trailer park just off the campus. Although visibly frustrated, Guerrero congratulated his partner. MSU officials do not have specific damage assesments available; however, they do note there was significant damage to some buildings. Many expected the new champions to defend their titles at WrestleMania 21, but after encouragement from Chavo, instead Guerrero challenged Rey to a one-on-one match so they could "bring the house down." The two wrestled a match at WrestleMania with Mysterio getting the win. A tornado touched down on Mississippi State University's campus. On February 20, 2005, Guerrero once again became a tag team champion, this time with long time friend and sometimes rival Rey Mysterio when they defeated Doug and Danny Basham at No Way Out 2005. ^[39]. Afterwards, Guerrero and Booker briefly and unsuccessfully attempted to win the WWE Tag Team Championships.

Another death was reported in Wilkinson County, although it has not been confirmed if it was storm-related. Guerrero would then be taken out by The Undertaker while Bradshaw pinned Booker following the Clothesline From Hell. Another unconfirmed tornado was reported in Bolivar County. However, during the match, the two broke away from the team and made it clear that it was every man for themselves. At least 40 homes and an industrial plant were damaged from one tornado in Humphreys County in central Mississippi, in which one person was killed. At Armageddon, Guerrero and Booker worked as a unit, taking down both Bradshaw and Undertaker. Several tornadoes from Rita's outer bands affected the state. Despite losing two matches in a row as a tag team, Guerrero and Booker managed to get along.

^[38]. Along the way, Guerrero found a partner in Booker T. 250 people were rescued on Saturday, September 24. Guerrero, along with Booker T and The Undertaker, then challenged John "Bradshaw" Layfield for a WWE Championship rematch. In Vermilion Parish south of Abbeville, rescue efforts were undertaken for up to 1,000 people stranded by local flooding. At Survivor Series, Guerrero landed the Frog Splash on Kurt Angle for the victory. ^[37]. Guerrero selected John Cena, who was feuding with Carlito, a member of Angle's Survivor Series team.

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco reported that 700,000 homes had lost power in 41 of the state's 64 parishes. The following week, Guerrero was forced to find another member for his team because Rey Mysterio had just been given an opportunity to regain the WWE Cruiserweight Championship. ^[36]. Guerrero's team consisted of himself, Big Show, Rey Mysterio and Rob Van Dam. It has been reported that at least 100 people needed to be rescued from rooftops, and at least 25 more remain stranded. General Manager Theodore Long booked a Survivor Series Elimination Match between a team led by Guerrero and a team led by Kurt Angle. ^[35] Some people were stranded in flooded communities, and boats had to be used for rescues. Each week Angle and his new allies Luther Reigns and Mark Jindrak began targeting Guerrero and the Big Show.

In Terrebonne Parish, virtually every levee was breached. Guerrero then allied himself with the Big Show, who also despised Kurt Angle for firing him while Angle was still SmackDown! general manager. Widespread flooding was reported in coastal parishes. At SummerSlam, Angle made Guerrero submit to the ankle lock. In Vinton, several fires were burning, the roof was torn off the town's recreation center and many homes were damaged by fallen trees. He would later lose the title to John "Bradshaw" Layfield, due to Angle's interference. ^[34] Damage to the city's electrical system was so severe that authorities warned that power would not return for two weeks, if not longer. He would enjoy many months of success as champion, which included a win against Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XX as well as victories over the Big Show and Rey Mysterio.

There was also extensive damage to its regional airport. On February 15, 2004 Guerrero won the WWE Championship at No Way Out 2004, defeating Brock Lesnar following interference from Goldberg. At a hotel on the Contraband Bayou, water was reportedly up to the second floor. Despite (or possibly because of) his immoral tactics, Guerrero continued to increase in popularity. Lake Charles experienced severe flooding, with reports of water rising 6-8 feet in areas around the lake itself. He was well known for hitting someone with a steel chair (or handing the opponent the steel chair and then pretending to be knocked out himself, just as the referee turned around), or using illegal weapons during the match. A casino boat and several barges were floating loose in Lake Charles and damaged a bridge spanning Interstate 10 across the Calcasieu River. Guerrero would also capitalize on his "Lie, Cheat, and Steal" anti-hero image by brazenly using illegal tactics behind the referee's back to win matches on occasion.

In Cameron Parish, the communities of Hackberry ^[33], Cameron, Creole, Grand Chenier, and Holly Beach were heavily damaged or entirely destroyed. During the summer of 2003, Guerrero had begun driving a customized lowrider to ringside as part of his ring entrance. Damage in southwestern Louisiana was extensive. In a storyline, Guerrero's singles success made Chavo jealous and Chavo broke from the team. ^[32]. As Guerrero's popularity grew, he began seeking the WWE Championship. As of Saturday night, September 24, water from a 150-foot gap in the Industrial Canal levee had some areas of the Ninth Ward under eight feet of water. As Los Guerreros attempted to regain the tag team titles, things began to go downhill between Chavo and Guerrero, and the two fought one another at the 2004 Royal Rumble in a match that was won by Eddie Guerrero.

Some pumping stations were abandoned. Four days later, Los Guerreros would lose the WWE Tag Team Championship to the Basham Brothers. CDT, water had begun gushing through another leak in the patched London Avenue Canal into the surrounding Gentilly neighborhood. Guerrero lost the United States Championship to The Big Show at No Mercy 2003 in October after a feud which involved Guerrero poisoning the Big Show with some laxative laced burritos and then later spraying the Big Show with a sewage truck. By approximately 5 p.m. Eddie Guerrero thus held the United States Championship and one-half of the Tag Team Championships concurrently. CDT on Friday. On September 16, 2003, Los Guerreros defeated The World's Greatest Tag Team to regain the WWE Tag Team Championships.

Water in the Ninth Ward was reported to be waist-deep at 11 a.m. Chavo made his return in this match, assisting Guerrero in executing his Frog Splash on Cena. CDT on Friday, September 23. Guerrero challenged Cena to a "Latino Heat" street fight for the United States Championship, which Guerrero won. Water entered the Ninth Ward over two 32-foot (10 m) wide patches in the levee as of about 9 a.m. He turned face again by engaging in a rivalry with John Cena. On Friday, September 23, the day prior to landfall, rising water due to Hurricane Rita was pouring through breaches in the patched Industrial Canal levee in New Orleans' already hard-hit Ninth Ward, as reported by the Army Corps of Engineers. At SummerSlam, Guerrero retained his title by defeating Rhyno, Benoit and Tajiri in a four way match.

New Orleans levee system had already sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina before Rita's outer bands of rain fell on the city. Guerrero pinned Benoit and won the United States Championship. ^[31]. Guerrero himself said that this was a major point in the character of Latino Heat, since he himself realized that the fans wanted to see him lie, cheat and steal. Both were due to high surf and rip currents caused by Rita's distant waves. The match ended with interference by and a Gore from Rhyno, Benoit's own partner, who was furious at the team's failure. While the Florida Panhandle escaped most of the land effects from Rita, two deaths were reported on beaches. It did not work, however, since he knocked out the ref earlier with a belt shot to the kidneys.

No deaths were reported in either Florida or Cuba from the initial impact. Guerrero tried to get Benoit in trouble by placing the title belt on top of the unconscious Benoit. ^[30]. In this match, Guerrero turned to his cheating tactics, hitting Benoit with the belt at one point in the match. More than 2,000 National Guard troops and dozens of law enforcement officers were brought in and are on standby. He managed to advance to the final round, defeating Ultimo Dragon in the process, where he would meet Chris Benoit. Bush in four counties: Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade and Monroe. In mid-2003, Guerrero competed in a tournament for the WWE United States Championship.

A state of emergency was declared by Florida Governor Jeb Bush and a federal emergency by President George W. After Guerrero and Tajiri lost the titles to Team Angle on July 1, Guerrero turned on Tajiri, slamming his partner through the windshield of his low-rider truck. ^[29]. In addition, they also defeated the legendary Roddy Piper and his protegè Sean O'Haire. EDT on Tuesday, September 20, about 25,000 customers were without electricity in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, plus another 2,100 in the Keys. The following week, Guerrero and Tajiri managed to retain their titles by cheating. As of 8 p.m. They won the Tag Titles at Judgment Day in a ladder match.

The Overseas Highway (US 1) connecting the islands was impassable in some sections as a result of the flooding. He chose Tajiri. Flooding was reported along the Florida Keys as a result of the storm surge. This forced Guerrero to look for another partner. More than 340,000 people were under voluntary or mandatory evacuation orders in Florida and Cuba. Prior to Judgment Day, Chavo tore his bicep. No deaths were reported in Arkansas due to Rita. Los Guerreros participated at WrestleMania XIX as contenders for the Tag Titles, along with the team of Chris Benoit and Rhyno.

^[28]. With this victory, Los Guerreros began their reign as the WWE Tag Team Champions, a reign that lasted until they were defeated by Team Angle. Most tornadoes move northeast. At Survivor Series 2002, Guerrero made Mysterio submit to The Lasso From El Paso. The tornadoes were unusual in that they moved in a northwestern direction due to the direction in which Rita was moving. Los Guerreros would then be given another shot at the WWE Tag Team titles and the new champions, Edge and Rey Mysterio. ^[27]. Much to Benoit's surprise, Los Guerreros helped him win the match.

In addition, significant flooding has been reported in several areas. Benoit and Angle then fought for a trophy for being the first WWE Tag Team Champion. While Rita weakened to a tropical depression, the outer bands continued to spawn numerous tornadoes in Arkansas, including one in Lonoke County and another in Conway County, damaging many homes and businesses in several communities. Later on, Benoit and Angle won the WWE Tag Team Championships. poisoning, illnesses, waiting for help). Benoit and Angle managed to overcome their differences and eventually defeated Los Guerreros in the tournament semi-finals. Indirect deaths indicate those caused by hurricane-related accidents (including car accidents, fires or other incidents), as well as clean-up and evacuation incidents and health issues (i.e. Guerrero then materialised in the room and assaulted Benoit with a steel chair.

Direct deaths indicate those caused by the direct effects of the winds, flooding, tornadoes, storm surge or oceanic effects of Rita. Benoit ran to make the save, only to have himself locked inside a room. The two Florida deaths were both in rip currents on beaches caused by Rita's distant waves. In one of the team's definitive moments, Chavo told Benoit that his former friend Guerrero was assaulted by his tag team partner Kurt Angle. One was caused by a hurricane-related tornado in the outer bands, and three others were caused by fallen trees during the storm. The duo entered the eight-team tournament for the new WWE Tag Team Championships and began a feud with the newly formed tag team of Kurt Angle and Chris Benoit. Only six of them were direct deaths. In contrast to a previous WCW storyline with his nephew, Chavo fully adopted his uncle's policy of "Lie, Cheat and Steal" to win matches, and to push the new tag team vignettes were produced, which included things such as the two finagling their way into a rich lady's house and throwing a pool party.

CDT on October 3 (0300 UTC October 4) stands at 119. With Benoit starting to focus on Kurt Angle, Guerrero aligned himself with his nephew Chavo, forming the tag team Los Guerreros. The reported death toll as of 10 p.m. On August 1, Guerrero and Benoit began to wrestle exclusively for WWE's SmackDown! brand. Also gas prices fell in the U.S instead of rising as feared. Guerrero then went on to feud briefly with The Rock. ^[9]. Guerrero then started a feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin, but Austin left WWE before a match could take place.

^[8] Total damage is estimated $9.4 billion, which makes Rita the ninth costliest storm in US history. He lost the belt to RVD a month later in a ladder match which was plagued with problems, including the ladder breaking to a fan interfering in the match. In total, it is estimated that well over 2 million customers were without electricity. On April 21 at Backlash 2002 he defeated Van Dam for the Intercontinental Championship. ^[7] Calcasieu Parish, with the communities of Lake Charles, Sulphur, Westlake and Vinton also suffered heavy damage. Guerrero returned to RAW on April 1, 2002, attacking Rob Van Dam and reuniting with Chris Benoit. Cameron Parish was heavily damaged, with the communities of Holly Beach, Hackberry and Cameron being essentially destroyed. During this time, he won the IWA mid-south heavyweight title from CM punk, in a triple threat with rey mysterio, just days after winnning the cruiserweight title again in the WWE.

However, local storm surges of 15 to 20 feet (4.5-6.1 m) in southwestern Louisiana were reported, and in from coastal parishes, damage was extensive. at A Night of Appreciation, an ROH show dedicated to him. The 5 inches (130 mm) of rain expected to fall overnight in New Orleans also did not happen, and the pressure on the levee system was eased. A little over a week later on April 27, he teamed with The Amazing Red to defeat The S.A.T. The storm surge feared in Galveston did not materialize, as the city was well to the west of the storm's center; the strong winds actually flattened the surge, which was only seven feet (2 m), and the seawall was easily able to handle it. WWE permitted him to fulfill the obligations, and on April 19, he wrestled CM Punk and Colt Cabana in Dayton, Ohio. The effects of Hurricane Rita were not nearly as severe as expected. When he signed, he was committed to one more ROH and IWA Mid-South show.

Valero Energy Corp, the nation's largest refiner, stated on September 21 that Rita could have caused gasoline prices to rise well above $3 per US gallon ($0.79/L). Following a number of highly acclaimed matches, such as his bout with Doug Williams at FWA British Uprising, as well as his series of matches with CM Punk, he was rehired by the renamed WWE in March 2002. While no potential storm path would threaten all of the capacity at once, a direct strike on Houston could disable up to 8% of the nation's refining capacity. He was also one of the original wrestlers in the Ring of Honor promotion. The Texas Gulf Coast is home to 23% of the United States' refining capacity, and numerous offshore production platforms were in Rita's path. Guerrero appeared with numerous independent promotions, including World Wrestling All-Stars and IWA Mid-South. The storm threatened a large amount of oil infrastructure that was left undamaged by Katrina. On November 9, 2001 he was arrested for drunk driving and was subsequently released by the WWF three days later.

Concerns had been raised over the state of the oil industry in response to Rita. At this point, Guerrero developed an addiction to pain medication stemming from his 1999 car accident and in May 2001 was sent to rehabilitation. As part of the evacuation, Johnson Space Center in Houston handed off control of the International Space Station to their Russian counterparts. Guerrero eventually left the Radicalz, siding with The Hardy Boyz and Lita. Many motorists ran out of gas despite turning off their air conditioners in the 98 degree record temperatures. In early 2001, Guerrero feuded with Test, winning the European Championship for a second time at WrestleMania X-Seven with help from Saturn and Malenko. Evacuees fought traffic all day and only moved about one hundred to one-hundred and fifty miles. The Radicalz reunited in late 2000, assisting Triple H in his match with Stone Cold Steve Austin at Survivor Series.

The Texas Department of Transportation was unprepared to execute this in an efficient way and in many cases without a release point to the North traffic would only speed up for a short time. The engagement was called off when Guerrero was caught showering with two of The Godfather's hos claiming that "Two Mamacitas are better than one!" Guerrero turned heel once again as a result of the incident and was later defeated for the Intercontinental Championship by Chyna's friend Billy Gunn. Contraflow lanes were instigated after it was realized that a the state's highway system had become gridlocked. Just when it appeared that Chyna would leave Guerrero, he proposed to her and she accepted. Distances that usually took 2-3 hours of travel time took some passengers upwards of 24 hours. Chyna became visibly uncomfortable as Guerrero began to cheat in order to retain his title, while Guerrero was upset that Chyna was posing for Playboy magazine, even trying to invade the Playboy Mansion to stop the photoshoot. Designated evacuation routes slowed to a pace far worse than with any previous hurricane. After Angle knocked Chyna down with the title belt, Guerrero "accidentally" pinned her while trying to revive her.

By the time Jefferson County began their mandatory evacuation up Highway 69, 96 and others, Houstonians had already clogged up these highway arteries to the North. Guerrero claimed to not mind and then begged Commissioner Mick Foley to let him take part in a title defense between Chyna and Kurt Angle, claiming he was afraid that Angle would injure Chyna. During the Rita evacuation these preperations and their execution were overwhelmed by the enormous and unprecedented numbers of people fleeing from the Houston area prior to the residents of the "Golden Triangle". On August 27, Chyna won the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Plans were put in place to open up these intersections. Chyna was upset when Guerrero pinned her to advance in the King of the Ring tournament. After Lili, citizens came back with complaints of long lines of cars caused by stop lights and stop signs along evacuation routes unattended by anyone from law enforcement. Over the next few months, friction began to build between Guerrero and Chyna.

Highway 73 between Port Arthur and Winnie was also widened to facilitate future evacuations in response to an even earlier hurricane. Guerrero successfully retained the title in matches against Saturn and Malenko before finally losing the title to Saturn on July 23. Officials in the "Golden Triangle" area had set up evacuation routes and a shelter system of sorts in response to the slow evacuation of residents prior to Hurricane Lili. Guerrero defeated Rios after arriving at ringside in a 1957 Chevrolet, even wrestling in his tuxedo pants and a bow tie. "If you're not in the evacuation zone, follow the news," he said, advising people to use common sense. He and Chyna began a feud with Essa Rios and Lita, which culminated in a European title defence at Backlash 2000, which was also billed as the night of Guerrero's prom (he was said to have just earned a GED). After heavy traffic snarled roads leading out of town and gas shortages left numerous vehicles stranded, he backed off on this. Guerrero won his first WWF title by defeating another former WCW wrestler, Chris Jericho for the WWF European Championship with help from Chyna.

On Wednesday, Houston mayor Bill White urged residents to evacuate the city, telling residents, "Don't wait; the time for waiting is over," and reminding residents of the disaster in New Orleans. In March 2000, Guerrero began pursuing the affections of Chyna, who he referred to as his "Mamacita." Chyna initially rejected his advances, but allied with him following WrestleMania 2000, declaring that she "couldn't resist his 'Latino Heat'". These evacuation-destination cities included Austin, College Station, San Antonio, Dallas, Huntsville, and Lufkin, Texas. Guerrero and the other WCW wrestlers debuted in the WWF on January 31, 2000 as The Radicalz, appearing on RAW and interfering in a match including the New Age Outlaws. Also, different zones were to be forced to go to certain cities in Texas and were not allowed to exit their designated routes except for food and gas - another feature of the evacuation plan which hoped to keep traffic and flow orderly throughout this timeframe. After his return, he continued to be displeased with WCW management and signed with the WWF in 2000 along with top WCW stars Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko, and Perry Saturn. Officials of Harris County hoped that the designation of zones A, B, and C would be able to prevent bottlenecks leaving the area such as those seen out of New Orleans prior to Katrina and Hurricane Dennis this year. Guerrero survived the accident and returned to wrestling in a matter of months.

Nonetheless, many residents remained in the county because they were either unaware of the danger of the storm or believed that it was more important to protect their belongings, particularly in the wake of looting following Hurricane Katrina. However, Guerrero was involved in a serious car accident in 1999 that cut short the lWo storyline. Officials in Galveston County (which includes the city of Galveston), which was devastated by the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, ordered mandatory evacuations, effective September 21 at 6 p.m., in a staggered sequence setting different zones in the area which were due to leave at different times over 24 hours, well in advance of the storm's possible landfall later in the week but not enough in advance to ensure that all residents could evacuate safely in advance of the storm. The group eventually grew to encompass almost all the Mexican wrestlers working for WCW at the time. Highway 290 northwest to Bryan/College Station. The group was an answer to Bischoff's refusal to push Latino wrestlers in ways they deserved. ^[6] On September 22, Governor Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation implemented a contraflow lane reversal on Interstate 45 north towards Dallas, on Interstate 10 west towards San Antonio and U.S. Guerrero responded to Bischoff's actions by forming the Latino World Order (or lWo), which was understood by the fans to be a mockery of Bischoff's New World Order.

Texas Governor Rick Perry recalled all emergency personnel, including almost 1,200 Texas National Guard from Katrina recovery efforts, in anticipation of Hurricane Rita's arrival. Guerrero would later rebut this on WWE's DVD Monday Night War claiming that he tried to put personal differences aside for the good of the company, yet found himself angry and outraged once more because of Bischoff's continued refusal to elevate Guerrero and other similar wrestlers. In addition, residents of Cameron Parish, Calcasieu Parish, and parts of Jefferson Davis Parish and Vermillion Parish were told to evacuate ahead of the storm. However, Guerrero later returned to WCW, leading to the belief that maybe Guerrero's angry speeches against Bischoff were actually a work (Guerrero later confirmed it to be a worked shoot). ^[5]. Guerrero then left the company for a period of months, angry at Bischoff for what he had done. The original breaches had occurred a month earlier as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The wrestler, furious, demanded Bischoff release him from his WCW contract on a live episode of WCW Monday Nitro.

Although Rita remained well to the south and west of New Orleans, a pre-landfall storm surge overwhelmed a levee protecting the lower 9th Ward ^[3], a part of a fragile and already compromised levee system as repairs continued ^[4] At landfall, more parts of the levee wall were breached causing major reflooding in New Orleans. Bischoff responded by throwing coffee at Guerrero. ^[2] However, as Rita developed in the Gulf of Mexico, the reopening was cancelled and a re-evacuation of the city was initiated on September 21 as the storm was initially forecast to make landfall much closer to the city. These frustrations came to a head when Guerrero requested that WCW President Eric Bischoff either push his character or give him a raise for family reasons. Before Rita, the mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, had planned to begin reopening the city after the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina on September 19. Despite Guerrero's success and popularity, he was one of many wrestlers who were frustrated at never being given a chance to be main event stars in WCW. Hurricane Rita was the third (now fourth) most intense hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin and the most intense hurricane on record in the Gulf of Mexico, taking over the latter record set by Hurricane Katrina only three weeks earlier. He lost the match, but called it his favorite match in the February 2004 SmackDown! magazine and his autobiography (published posthumously).

Rita has broken multiple records, being the earliest 17th named storm, the third (now fourth) most intense storm, and quickest drop of pressure in one hour. One such title match was against Rey Mysterio at Halloween Havoc. The Hydrometeorological Prediction Center ceased monitoring Tropical Depression Rita early on September 26. In WCW, Guerrero found considerable singles success, winning the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship in late 1996 and the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship twice in 1997. Rita's remnants -- technically an extensive low pressure area -- moved quickly out of the lower Mississippi Valley region and were absorbed by a cold front. After their last match at the ECW arena, the locker room emptied and the two were carried around the ring by their fellow wrestlers while the crowd chanted "Please don't go.". Rita lost both hurricane and tropical storm status on the same day as its landfall. Guerrero won the ECW World Television Championship on his debut and went on to have a series of acclaimed matches with Dean Malenko before they both signed with World Championship Wrestling later that year.

Rita's wind field was so intense that it destroyed or disabled several weather buoys. As an homage to his fallen friend, Guerrero adopted his friend's finishing move, the Frog Splash. "Rita is the strongest storm that I've ever been in," he commented. However, Barr died before he could join ECW with Guerrero. Warren Madden, a Hurricane Hunter and meteorologist for The Weather Channel, recorded a peak wind gust of 235 mph (380 km/h) while in the eye of the storm. Guerrero and Barr's first break would come when they were noticed in late 1994 by the owner of Extreme Championship Wrestling, Paul Heyman, and were approached about wrestling for him in 1995. Col. Along with Barr, Konnan and Madonna’s Boyfriend, Guerrero formed Los Gringos Locos (The Crazy Americans), a heel stable.

Lt. After Guerrero turned on Santo and allied with Art Barr as La Pareja del Terror (The Pair of Terror), the duo became arguably the most hated tag team in lucha libre history. (NASA clip depicting the history of the storm before landfall). In Mexico, he wrestled mainly for Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion, teaming with El Hijo del Santo as the new version of La Pareja Atómica (The Atomic Pair), the legendary tag team of Gory Guerrero and El Santo. Hurricane Rita's rapid intensification may in part be attributed to its encounter with the Gulf Loop Current and Eddy Vortex. In 1993, Guerrero began wrestling in Japan for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he was known as Black Tiger II. CDT, the advisory said that Rita's maximum sustained winds had increased to 175 mph (280 km/h) with an estimated minimum pressure of 897 mbar (hPa), (26.59 inHg). He became a star in Mexico long before he main evented in the United States.

At 10:00 p.m. He debuted in 1987 in the Mexican Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre promotion. CDT, a reconnaissance aircraft recorded a pressure reading of 899 mbar (hPa), but it was thought to actually be lower since the reading was not from the center. Guerrero was raised in El Paso, Texas and attended the University of New Mexico as well as New Mexico Highlands University on an athletic scholarship, where he wrestled collegiately, before returning to El Paso to train as a professional wrestler. At 6:50 p.m. Guerrero's uncle Enrique Llanes and cousin Javier Llanes are popular wrestlers in Mexico. CDT (19:55 UTC), another update was issued, saying Rita had strengthened into a Category 5 storm with maximum wind speeds of 165 mph (265 km/h). also became a wrestler.

Less than two hours later, at 3:55 p.m. Guerrero's nephew, Chavo Guerrero, Jr. CDT (1815 UTC) said that Rita's maximum winds had increased to 150 mph (240 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 920 mbar (hPa). His three brothers Chavo Guerrero, Hector Guerrero and Mando Guerrero all followed in their father's footsteps and became professional wrestlers. An update issued at 2:15 p.m. His father, Gory Guerrero, was a founding father of Lucha Libre, a prominent wrestling trainer and an influential figure in Mexican professional wrestling. Rita continued to gain strength unabated. Guerrero came from a legendary wrestling family.

At that advisory, Rita's maximum sustained winds increased to 140 mph (225 km/h). . EDT on September 21. Guerrero became a born again Christian in 2002. EDT on September 20 to 11 a.m. Despite all these issues, Guerrero managed to be extremely popular, winning numerous titles during his career, including the WWE Championship. The National Hurricane Center's official advisories, issued every three hours, showed strengthening at every single advisory from 5 p.m. His problems outside of the ring were sometimes integrated into his professional wrestling storylines.

As Hurricane Rita entered the Gulf of Mexico, it rapidly increased in intensity. Throughout his career, Guerrero encountered various substance abuse problems outside of wrestling, including alcoholism and an addiction to pain killers. The warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, which was at the time 1 °F (0.5 °C) above average, was very favorable for hurricane development. His famous mantra became "Cheat to Win." Despite being a heel for much of his career, he became extremely popular because of his charisma and the fact that his character seemed to largely be a reflection of himself. Four hours later, another special update stated that Rita had reached Category 2 strength with 100 mph (160 km/h) maximum sustained winds. Guerrero's in-ring character was that of a crafty, resourceful wrestler who would do anything to win a match. EDT that morning showed that Rita had closed the eyewall and winds clearly reached hurricane strength. Through the 1990s, he had a distinguished career, working for every major professional wrestling promotion in the United States during that period: Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Aerial reconnaissance data released at 9:45 a.m. Born into a legendary Mexican wrestling family, Guerrero managed to maintain the storied Guerrero family legacy. Rita was slow to become a hurricane; discussions early on September 20 showed that wind translations to surface level were indeed at 75 mph (120 km/h), however, the lack of a complete eyewall meant that the National Hurricane Center kept Rita as a tropical storm with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds overnight. Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes (October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005), better known by his ring name, Eddie Guerrero, was an American professional wrestler of Hispanic descent. A mandatory evacuation had been ordered for the entire Florida Keys. Medical examiner's report says wrestling star died natural death. It became the 17th tropical storm of the season on September 18, less than a day after forming. Other.

A surface low formed near it, and the season's 18th tropical depression formed soon thereafter east of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The storm formed at the tail end of an old frontal boundary, where convection and low level circulation around an upper level low steadily developed for over two days. World Wrestling Entertainment. Rita was in fact the third seventeenth storm of any season to form since naming of tropical storms began in 1950, but in the 1969 season many tropical storms went unnamed due to the lack of sophisticated forecasting systems; the seventeenth storm of 1969 was Hurricane Martha. World Wrestling Association. Rita's name itself is a significant indicator of the activity of the 2005 hurricane season: only once before had a name starting with 'R' been used for an Atlantic storm, in 1995 for Hurricane Roxanne. World Wrestling All-Stars.

. World Championship Wrestling. The storm killed just 6 people but caused 113 indirect deaths; damage estimates are around $9 billion (2005 US dollars). Pro Wrestling Illustrated. Post-landfall damage was extensive in the coastal areas in southwestern Louisiana and extreme southeastern Texas. Pro Wrestling Federation. A day prior to landfall, the resultant storm surge also reopened some of the levee breaches caused by Hurricane Katrina a month earlier, and reflooded parts of New Orleans. New Japan Pro Wrestling.

The storm first struck Florida after making an approach near Cuba and went on to strike Texas and Louisiana. Latin American Wrestling Association. It was the second-most powerful hurricane of the season (behind Hurricane Wilma) and the fourth most intense hurricane ever in the Atlantic Basin. Independent Wrestling Association: Mid-South. Hurricane Rita was the seventeenth named tropical storm, tenth hurricane, fifth major hurricane, and second Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. Extreme Championship Wrestling. Estimated repair time: two weeks to a month. Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion.

Damage: two cooling towers and a flare stack. Black Tiger Bomb (Sitout crucifix powerbomb). Valero, Port Arthur, Texas, 250,000 b/d