Vermont residents learn Florida home is damaged days after Hurricane Ian's landfall
"This is the major news story that you see that you're not supposed to live in."
"This is the major news story that you see that you're not supposed to live in."
"This is the major news story that you see that you're not supposed to live in."
A Vermont couple is starting to learn the extent of the damage caused to their Pine Island, Florida, home after Hurricane Ian made landfall in the southwestern part of the state five days ago.
Laurie Adams moved to the island, in a neighborhood called St. James City, about six years ago when she took a job with their water department. Previously, she had worked at the Burlington Water Department for 34 years.
Adams had been through tropical storms and Hurricane Ida but didn't expect the storm that Ian became. At their Milton, Vermont, home during the duration of the hurricane, it would take a few days for neighbors who stayed on the island to get word to them about how their house fared.
"She said 'do you want us to go in?' I said 'yeah, if you don't mind, I'd like to see,' and that's when she sent some pictures," Adams said.
That friend who went in to see how damaged Adams' home was, was Melanie Hoff.
Hoff, her husband Jim, and others stayed at her house on Pine Island for the storm, and her home fared better than most. She doesn't have a safe car to drive, nor does anyone she know because they all were at one point completely submerged underwater.
"Picture catastrophe and we're it," Hoff said. "This is what you see on TV. This is the major news story that you see that you're not supposed to live in."
The one road onto Pine Island can't be traveled. Telephone poles were snapped in half and boats are anywhere but the water.
Hoff said they're also not getting much information from officials at the local, state or federal levels.
"We're finding out everything from private citizens and really nothing from officials down here in St. James City," Hoff said.
Adams said she's lucky to be home safe in Vermont, and she's grateful her Florida friends are all alive.
As for her home, no officials have been able to evaluate the Adams' home and they aren't sure when they'll be able to travel down there or if they can rebuild.
"We could still be there with Melanie and Jim and we'd be living with Melanie and Jim," Adams said. "It makes you feel a little guilty too when you're somewhere else that your friends aren't."