The beagle named Katrina now lives in a house on a golf course in Orlando. She is 15-and-a-half years old and enjoys napping, walking and eating.

Her lifestyle hasn’t always been this comfortable. She used to live in New Orleans and was trapped by flood waters after the city’s protective levees failed during Hurricane Katrina. The 301st Rescue Squadron, out of Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, found her as they were helping get stranded victims to safety.

“There were 50 or 60 people stranded on that I-10 overpass. So my wingman took the one side and I took the other and each time we landed Katrina would run up to that helicopter and greet us,” said Lt. Col. Michael Brasher.

Brasher said the rescue unit handed the beagle to paramedics who got her to a shelter. From there, she jumped around from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to Phoenix. But Brasher never forgot about the beagle. After a long search, he found Katrina on Petfinder. He also contacted her owners.

“The owner goes, ‘do you guys have kids?’ We said yes we do. And he said, ‘Do the kids love that dog?’ Melanie was on the other line and said absolutely they love this dog. There was a big pause and he said ‘well you guys can keep her,’” said Brasher.

That was 10 years ago and now Katrina is about to turn 16. The Brashers celebrate her birthday on Sep. 1, when the squadron found her. She has several health problems like hip dysplasia, Cushing’s disease and an enlarged heart. However, for the Brashers Katrina is a part of the family, changing their lives forever.

“For the last few years she has been like, you know, ‘What? This golf course lifestyle suits me,’” said Brasher.

When Katrina was first rescued, her name was actually Candy. The Brashers changed it as a symbol of the good that was able to come out of the storm.