Hurricane Helene: The Storm That Brought Havoc To Floridians

Nessa Brown

Hurricane Helene: The Storm That Brought Havoc To Floridians

   

It was Tuesday, September 23, 2024. We were told that a tropical storm named Helene was

heading our way. At first, no one was particularly concerned—most Floridians see tropical

storms as nothing more than some wind and rain. But within days, we learned that Helene

strengthened. By September 26, it had developed into a Category 4 hurricane with 130-mph

winds, hurtling toward Florida.

Hurricane Helene was a historic storm—the strongest to hit the Big Bend region since 1851

(Morgan, Michelle, “Historic Helene Is 3rd Hurricane to Hit Florida’s Big Bend Region in

 the Last Three Months,” ClickOrlando). The devastation extended beyond Florida, impacting

states like Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

As the storm neared, an eerie tension settled over Florida. Thousands took to social media,

offering support and advice to newcomers unfamiliar with hurricane preparations. Others

coped with the anxiety through humor, sharing memes to lighten the mood. But as

September 27 arrived; reality set in. By 11 p.m., Hurricane Helene had made landfall.

Thousands had evacuated, while those who stayed braced for impact. Throughout the night,

 massive storm surges and powerful winds tore through the Sunshine State, leaving

 destruction in their wake.

An Interview with a Survivor

I had the opportunity to interview my 27-year-old sister, Peyton Hubbard, who lost her home

to Hurricane Helene. She is a stay-at-home mom with a 2-year-old daughter, and her

 firsthand experience sheds light on the storm’s devastation.

Nessa Brown: What evacuation zone were you in?

Peyton Hubbard: We were in Zone A—the highest priority for evacuation.

NB: How did Hurricane Helene impact you?

PH: Helene completely destroyed our house and 99% of our belongings. If my husband

 hadn’t evacuated at the last minute, we would have lost our dogs and cat too. We had nearly

 five and a half feet of water inside our home. 

NB: What was the condition of your home before and after the storm?

PH: Before the hurricane, our house was in good shape. We had been slowly making

renovations, but Helene wiped everything out. We put up sandbags, thinking we’d be okay,

but we never expected the level of flooding we got. It’s the kind of disaster you think

happens to other people—until it happens to you.

NB: Did your area experience significant flooding?

PH: Our entire street was underwater. We lived in downtown New Port Richey, on the water

side of U.S. 19, and the flooding was catastrophic. The water covered our whole street and

even passed U.S. 19. There were apartments on my street with parking garages on the first

floor and living spaces on the second. The water rose so high that it reached the kitchen

 counters on the second floor.

NB: Do you have any advice for people facing future hurricanes?

PH: For power outages, make sure you have clean water and shelf-stable food. But for major

storms like Helene, listen to the news, and don’t take past luck for granted. I could have lost

even more—my husband and pets—if he hadn’t listened to the cops and our landlord urging

 himto evacuate. The police were driving through the neighborhood with megaphones, telling

people to leave, and our landlord personally called him to get out immediately.

NB: Thank you for sharing your story. I know this must be difficult to talk about.

PH: It is, but I understand why you’re asking. It’s still so fresh in my mind—losing our

 home, being displaced, being separated from my husband and pets, and losing everything we

 owned. It’s been a traumatic experience.

Resources for Those Affected by Hurricane Helene

For those seeking assistance, here are some organizations providing relief and support:

● Metro Ministries

● Samaritan’s Purse

● Volunteer Florida

Sources

● Frisaro, Freida. “What to Know About Hurricane Helene, Flooding in Southeast US.” AP

News, 27 Sept. 2024. AP News

● Kronenberg, Alan. “Hurricane Helene Smashes Florida, Southeast U.S.” US News &

World Report, 27 Sept. 2024. US News

● Morgan, Michelle. “Historic Helene Is 3rd Hurricane to Hit Florida’s Big Bend Region in

Last 13 Months.” WKMG, 27 Sept. 2024. ClickOrlando