In 2005, Leah and Eric Rucker were displaced by Hurricane Katrina and moved to Arkansas with many other evacuees. Despite leaving the city they love, the two focused on finishing their education before moving back.

Now married, Leah and Eric graduated from the nursing program at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2007 and work in the healthcare industry in New Orleans.

A native of New Orleans, Eric initially planned on becoming a nurse after high school, but he fell in love with bartending.

“I always joke that I spent my 20s killing people’s livers, and now I help repair them,” he said. “As an older adult, I was drawn to nursing because I really love taking care of people, and I felt like nursing was the ultimate career to help and care for others.”

Leah, a native of Pine Bluff, was interested in nursing before moving to New Orleans to pursue her love of singing jazz.

Together, they enrolled in a nursing program in New Orleans, but the two evacuated to Leah’s family in Arkansas after Hurricane Katrina hit.

Both applied to the nursing program at UALR, because they were unsure how long it would take New Orleans to recover.

“Everyone was so kind and really went out of their way to help us get back on our feet,” Leah said.

Deciding to stay in Arkansas to finish their degrees was a hard decision for the couple.

“I don’t think I would have had the same success if we moved back home,” Eric said. “The city was a mess, and people were in a bad place. UALR was an escape for me. It was beneficial to be surrounded by everyone’s positive energy as well as the beautiful trees on campus.”

The response from the faculty and the student body was amazing, said Eric.

“The faculty really helped us get on our feet and catch up to the rest of the class,” he said. “They really showed a lot of compassion towards us. I definitely owe a lot of my success to my many wonderful instructors. Luckily for us, the administration of UALR made the decision to do whatever it takes to help anyone affected by the flood.”

Many important life events happened during the couple’s time at UALR: marriage, graduation, and their first child.

“It was a tough time, but we got through it with the help of friends, family, and the supportive staff in the UALR nursing program,” said Leah.

Future Plans

Eric accomplished his goal of becoming a nursing director in May when he was hired as the emergency department nursing director at Children’s Hospital New Orleans. Now, his goal is to make the department the best pediatric emergency department in the region.

“Working with children is extremely rewarding,” he said. “It takes a special person to be able to take care of very sick kids. Luckily, I have a great crew of nurses who are always up to the task.”  

Leah, on the other hand, is cutting back her hours as a nurse coordinator at the Epilepsy Center at Children’s Hospital to pursue jazz.

She started a jazz career after her second child was born. Leah has been actively pursuing jazz for about four years now, but she has been singing most of her life.

Leah performs with a band once or twice a week at clubs on Frenchman Street and at private events. She plans to continue to grow as a musician and make more time to enjoy her family.

“It feels like time is flying, and I don’t want to regret not spending enough time with my family,” said Leah. “I also want them to see me living my dream and know they can, too. Life is full of challenges, but if you do the best with what you’ve got then it makes it all worth it.”