Paul Clouatre II has always been a passionate fan of the New Orleans Saints, a devotion reflected in his personal Saints shrine in his home.
“Right there you have Pierre Thomas, and he inscribed it the first Saints Super Bowl touchdown, which is really cool because no one will have that again,” Clouatre said, as he described a photo of Thomas during the Big Game.
However, his love for the Saints runs deeper than memorabilia. The Brother Martin graduate has been a season ticket holder since 2004, attending the “Domecoming” and even the Super Bowl.
He said the team after Hurricane Katrina, specifically Drew Brees, had an enormous impact on New Orleans in the years after the disaster.
“I think the government forgot about us. And I think Drew Brees and the Saints relit that candle. And I mean, the rest is history,” he said.
Clouatre’s admiration for Brees inspired him to name his firstborn son after the quarterback, rather than passing down his own name.
“He was always going to be Andrew Christopher,” said Clouatre.
And when asked why, “Because of Drew Brees. Drew Brees, what he meant for the city,” Clouatre said.
“It just makes me feel like a true Saints fan,” said Drew Clouatre when asked about being named after the legend.
The Clouatre family isn’t alone in this sentiment.
In Louisiana, 25 babies were named Drew in 2006, the year of the Superdome reopening. That number rose to 40 in 2009, and after the Saints’ Super Bowl win in 2010, the number of baby Drews spiked to 83. Fourteen children were even named Brees.
“Over 700 names were either Drew or Brees since the dome reopened, and it really goes to show how enthusiastic our state is, especially in New Orleans,” said Sec. Bruce Greenstein with the Louisiana Department of Health.
The trend also extended beyond children to pets.
“We have more than 212 dogs named after some variation of Drew Brees, whether that was adopting them and changing the names and then also our staff naming them after Drew Brees,” Clouatre said.
Even iguanas, horses, and birds were named Drew, Brees, or Breesy, with one pet even named Brew Dreesy.
Drew Clouatre, Paul’s son, inherited more than just the name. He shares his father’s love for football, serving as quarterback for his own team, and even had the chance to meet his namesake.
“All in all, I remember just being held by Drew Brees,” Drew Clouatre said.
It’s those memories and those namesakes that will last a lifetime, just like Brees’ legacy.
READ MORE:Louisiana families honor Drew Brees with baby and pet names
