Personal stories from the aftermath of hurricane milton

Helene was September 26. I remember that because it's my mother's birthday. I stayed for Helene thinking I was ready. I didn't really realize what 5 to 8 feet of [storm] surge

actually meant. I had barriers for my doors and I was ready. In fact, most of my neighbors were here. I'm watching and 8:30 at night it's no rain, hardly any wind. All of a

sudden, my street started to flood. And then it came up my driveway faster than I've ever seen water come up my driveway. Then it came through my garage, into my kitchen. I have my dog,

Abby. I have a life jacket for her. By now I have water above my knees in my house and I had the handle of her life jacket and she's swimming. We go onto the porch and I'm getting

hit by lumber because of all the new houses being constructed. I hear my friend, "Wait for me – I’m coming!" I look up and there's a big spotlight and he's in a kayak

coming down from my neighbor's house. By then the water was up to my chest. About 7:30 the next morning I got up and walked home, and I was still in water up to my knees. Anything that

wasn't above about 30 inches in my house was gone. EMILY ROGERS, 57, AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR, HAS LIVED IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA FOR NEARLY 20 YEARS. SHE

DECIDED TO GET A HOTEL ABOUT SEVEN MILES INLAND WITH HER DOG VENUS DURING HURRICANE MILTON AND IS NOW STAYING WITH ONE OF HER NEARBY ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA SORORITY SISTERS "WHO'S LIKE

FAMILY."