Paul Henke and Suzanne Pehl, both from North Dakota, in a Red Cross emergency warehouse in Conroe, Texas Photo by Frederic Klein / American Red Cross. 

Suzanne Pehl, a part-time bookkeeper who still helps her son with the family trucking business after he took it over from her husband, was on her way to her first ever deployment with the American Red Cross. After serving as a member of the Disaster Action Team in her home region for the past two years, she decided it was time to step up and help beyond the familiar confines of her own community by traveling to eastern Texas to help residents impacted by the devastating floods of early May 2024. 

“I joined the Red Cross two years ago,” said Suzanne. “And then the last year I haven’t been able to do much, so I’m just getting back into it. I love helping people.” 

At the airport, scheduled for the same flight from Fargo to Houston as Suzanne, was Paul Henke. Paul has been volunteering with the Red Cross for 29 years, following his retirement from the railroad industry, and has deployed an estimated 60 times to help those in need around the country. 

“I’ve never stopped to count,” said Paul. “But it’s been quite a few lately. In the last few years, it seems like there have been a little bit more disasters. I enjoy the travelling and the people we meet when you do get to go to a lot of these, and trying to brighten up somebody’s day with a meal or cleaning supplies or whatever it is.” 

Despite having never met before in their mutual home state of North Dakota, Paul and Suzanne found themselves nearly 1,500 miles away from home and working together to deliver emergency supplies to people impacted and displaced by floodwaters that wrought destruction in many areas of eastern Texas. 

Paul Henke and Suzanne Pehl check in with Charles Campbell Jr. after delivering emergency supplies to him and his family after their home was heavily damaged by floodwaters in the River Plantation neighborhood .

Deploying to help after a major disaster, such as the heavy rains that brought flooding to the Texas Gulf Coast region late April 2024, is an intensive but rewarding endeavor for many Red Cross volunteers. These workers often dedicate long hours on consecutive days for two weeks at a time to make sure that people in need can get the help they need from the American Red Cross, efforts that frequently result in being sweaty, dirty, tired and spiritually satisfied at the end of each day. 

For Suzanne, it was helpful to have an experienced disaster responder at her side to help show her the ropes – reminding her to pace herself, drink lots of water, don’t forget to eat, and countless other tips that can only be learned through the lived experiences of responding to major disasters with the Red Cross. 

Paul was quick to appreciate Suzanne’s experience from her many years of working alongside her husband and son, and he helped her appreciate how much she already knew that applied to their work with the Red Cross. 

“She knows about the trucking business, so what we do here is basically part of that,” said Paul, as Suzanne chuckled next to him from the passenger seat of their emergency response vehicle (ERV) that was distributing supplies that day in the River Plantation neighborhood of Conroe, Texas. “So she is actually pretty qualified for what we are doing right now.” 

“It’s been great working with Paul,” added Suzanne. “It’s great to be partnered with someone who has experience and knows what’s going on.” 

Paul Henke unloads a tote box filled with flood cleanup supplies while Suzanne Pehl unloads a box of shelf-stable meals for Amy Webb and her family in the River Plantation neighborhood

Although the days can be grueling, Paul and Suzanne say they have no plans to retire from volunteering with the Red Cross. If anything, they are more motivated than ever to continue doing what they can to help provide care and comfort – and they encourage others to do the same. 

“I think if anybody’s thinking about [deploying], they should do it,” urged Suzanne. “It’s been a wonderful experience for me.” 

Put on a red vest and help neighbors in need both near and far. Visit www.redcross.org/volunteer to find an opportunity that works for you, or you can help people affected by disasters like the flooding in Texas by making a donation to support Red Cross Disaster Relief. Visit www.redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. 

Story By: Frederic Klein