Natural disasters can alter one's outlook on life in a positive way, and give an individual a greater sense of purpose or focus in everything he/she does.
Hurricane Katrina, which devastated New Orleans and the surrounding areas in August 2005, was a life-changing ordeal for thousands of people, including Iwate Big Bulls big man Shawn Malloy.
Malloy was a University of New Orleans basketball player when the hurricane caused incomprehensible damage to the city. Looking back on his life, the 28-year-old said Hurricane Katrina helped prepare him for his journey to Japan and how to properly interact with residents of Iwate Prefecture, who are rebuilding their lives after the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.