Two Weeks, Two Major Hurricanes Blew Through My Life

Recovery in process and the power of connection

This historic pier on the island where I work, which used to hold a busy restaurant, was damaged in Helene and all but destroyed in Milton — photo by Joe Hendricks

There was no time to hit the pause button between Helene and Milton.

As the administrator for a small police department on a barrier island, and a resident on the edge of the southern Tampa Bay mainland which is blocks from the Bay, we flowed through preparation, storm nightmare, relief/preparation for the next round, nightmare storm (again) and now we are in what is hopefully the final round of “recovery.”

Time has become relative and is measured in vignettes.

“That was before Helene, right? Or was it after Helene and before Milton?”

Everything feels soft and mushy with sharp, spiky edges, much like the form of a hurricane.

As a recovered alcoholic, I can relate to this formation.

As Hurricane Helene rolled along Florida’s west coastline Sept. 26, our barrier islands were inundated with 8 feet of storm surge- more than anyone who has lived here and is still alive has ever seen. Two weeks later, Milton, a Category 3 hurricane, made landfall about 30 miles south of us as the most powerful storm to impact Tampa Bay since 1921. No surge for us with Milton, but gusts over 100 mph.