show bios Abdulrahman Zeitoun, and Kathy Zeitoun

Abdulrahman Zeitoun

Abdulrahman Zeitoun was born in Jableh, Syria in 1957. After spending ten years as a sailor, Zeitoun settled in New Orleans with his wife, Kathy, in 1994. He is the owner of Zeitoun A. Painting Contractors and has 5 children.

Kathy Zeitoun

Kathy Zeitoun was born in New Orleans and grew up in Baton Rouge. She is the mother of 5 children and manages Zeitoun A. Painting Contractors. She hopes to promote tolerance, understanding, and respect for all cultures and religions.

A Firsthand Account of Hurricane Katrina
Date: 7/28/2010

In commemoration of the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun, whose story is told in the bestselling book "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers, will discuss their family’s experience during the 2005 storm that devastated New Orleans. While Kathy and the family’s four children left the city before the hurricane, Abdulrahman, a Syrian American, stayed behind to protect their home and business. In the days after, he traveled the flooded city in a canoe, helping out friends and neighbors. But, on September 6, 2005, Abdulrahman abruptly disappeared. Join us to learn the rest of the Zeitoun's story as Abdulrahman and Kathy give a firsthand account of their experiences.

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