In downtown Sulphur, a storm descended upon the area on a typical Saturday night. Raina Valkoun, owner of Raina’s Sports Lounge, described a typical evening at her bar filled with familiar faces. However, disaster struck when the walls of her lounge began to crumble around them.
Raina was trapped under five feet of debris as the building collapsed and remained pinned for 45 minutes before first responders were able to rescue everyone. Unfortunately, one of her longtime friends and customers did not make it out alive. Despite the heartbreak of losing both her friend and her beloved bar, Raina expressed gratitude for another day of life. She acknowledged the devastation caused by the storm, with approximately 30 people injured and half of them present at her bar during the incident. As she surveyed the damage and witnessed the resilience of those in her community, Raina felt a sense of gratitude for the lives that were spared.
