Voices of Vero

What is Your Most Memorable Hurricane Experience?

by Doolin Dalton

Lara Silvestre

"After the two back-to-back hurricanes in 2004 I was temporarily living at my friend’s house. We had no power and people brought truckloads of military MRE’s. We ate them daily because we didn’t have much money or food since I was still in my early 20s. Cold showers in the dark and no AC – no thanks!” – Lara Silvestre, Hairdresser

Linda Hawkins

I remember walking outside to survey the damage the morning after the storm. There were still some high wind gusts whipping up from time to time and the street I lived on was completely flooded, so nobody was out driving. I remember hearing my neighbors laughing and I looked out into the front yard and there were some boys, probably about 8 or 9 years old, “boating” down the street in an inflatable raft. They had constructed a “sail” that they had mounted on it. They had plastic swords and pirate hats made from paper. They were floating from house to house saying “Yarg! We’ve come for yer canned goods, matey!” Funny kids! – Linda Hawkins, Guest Services

Amanda Landrum

With Irma’s track heading toward the east coast, my mom, my roommate, and my sister decided to head to Tampa to stay with my brother. We loaded up the van with all of our pets – two dogs and two cats – and “Noah’s Ark” headed west. Then the darned hurricane turned west and ended up hitting us on the west coast anyways! So, there were seven people and four pets in a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom house for lockdown. We had board games, card games, and a hurricane drinking game. It was a blast. – Amanda Landrum, Recreational Coordinator

Tori Foster

About four months after moving to Florida in 1998, this “minor tropical storm” at the time named Mitch came through. Driving home from work on A1A in Key Largo, I got quite the surprising show when the winds gusted so hard that the transformers were visibly blowing out on the power poles as I drove past! – Tori Foster, Program Manager

Tiffany Sickles

It was during Hurricane Irma, I was running around trying to brace my fence. I got hit by a few small tree branches and suddenly a waterspout formed in my pool. It was crazy! –Tiffany Sickles

Zach Bramlitt

When Frances and Jeanne rolled through, my friends and I got out of town to my friend’s cabin up in Tennessee. We had a blast on the road. We made signs that read “Exodus 2004.” We got caught in traffic heading north on I-95. It was backed up for miles so we got out of the car and started playing games with other people caught in traffic. The situation was bad, but we made it fun. –Zach Bramlitt, Retail Manager

Tristan Dorey

I remember being in a hurricane when I was very young, about 5 years old. The whole house started shaking. My family and I went into our master closet and listened to a portable radio for updates. When it was over, we went outside and the tree in our front yard had been blown down. –Tristan Dorey, STUDENT

Shannon Holzman

The most memorable would have to be Andrew when I was 10 years old. I had never seen anything like that before. I remember watching the sky flashing green. It still resonates with me because it’s the first hurricane experience that I can distinctly remember. –Shannon Holzman, Real Estate Paralegal

Allison Kelly

I remember during Frances in 2004, after the power went out we hung a flashlight from the chandelier and played Spades all night. –Allison Kelly, LPN

Matt McKnight

In preparation for Hurricane Jeanne, I spent the whole of my 13th birthday making sandbags and evacuating. It was a learning experience. –Matt McKnight, Artist

Mensley Desrosiers

It was actually kind of fun! The power went out, so we broke out the Uno cards and had an Uno tournament by candlelight. I was more afraid of those “Draw Four” cards than I was the actual hurricane! –Mensley Desrosiers

Melissa Hoch

The first time us northerners tried putting hurricane shutters on the windows … there was a lot of cursing. –Melissa Hoch, NURSE