Patience and humility

Daughter:

“We wanted to move out of our trailer and into a house. I just didn’t think it would happen like this.

We have never evacuated for a hurricane. If a storm looked like it was going to be bad, we would go to a shelter at a local school.

This one looked really bad. I decided to go to my boyfriend’s house in Vernon, Florida. My mom finished her shift at Winn Dixie and then went to stay at my sister’s apartment off 23rd Street.

It was safer than staying in the trailer.

I am glad she did.”

Mother:

“I bought supplies. I purchased some water, food, and one flashlight. It wasn’t enough. I needed more food and water. I needed another flashlight and more batteries to keep the radio going.

And baby wipes. I needed them to bathe with.

My daughter and I downloaded the walkie talkie app onto our phones. After the power went out, it wouldn’t work.

I huddled into the bathroom with two dogs, my flashlight and the radio. The wind whistled the whole time. I had never heard anything that loud. The walls were shaking.

Over the radio I heard that the hurricane had passed. I went out onto the balcony. The pond in the apartment complex had flooded and a couple were kayaking.

I slept in the living room that night with the sliding door open to catch the breeze. It was hot.

I had no way of telling anyone I was safe, so I just waited.”

Daughter:

“My aunt messaged my boyfriend on Facebook and said that she had picked up my mom and was taking her home to Ebro.

She had gotten into Panama City by following closely behind an electrician’s truck. The police thought she was with them and let her in.

I got back to our trailer three days after the storm. It was destroyed. I have had the same room for 20 years and now it is gone. I was able to save a few valuables, mementos and some clothes.

The pictures of the destruction I had seen on the news didn’t do it justice. I cried.

I am living with my dad now until my mom and I can find a house or a town house in Panama City.

I see my mom on the weekends, but I miss her.

We know all this happened for a reason. We need to figure out what it’s trying to teach us.

Patience.

Humility.

We can’t just leave before this experience truly changes us for the better.  

Next time, we will evacuate. Even if it’s a tropical storm. We are gone.”