Stories from the Storm: ‘Nowhere else to go’

The catastrophic damage left behind by Hurricane Helene has uprooted lives and communities forever. Tens of thousands of homes have been affected across an enormous area. Entire communities are unreachable, cut off by floodwaters and damaged roads and bridges. Some 1.3 million customers — about 4 million people — are still without power

The American Red Cross has launched a massive response to ensure no one faces this challenging time alone, focusing on providing safe shelter, meals and support for those affected by the storm.

Red Cross photographer Marko Kocik recently visited a Red Cross shelter in Florida. In talking with several of the folks who were forced to evacuate, one thing was common in all the conversations — they’ve lost everything and have nowhere else to go. Here are a few of their stories:

A lot of love

Jennifer Walker and her husband were forced to evacuate after the storm surge from Hurricane Helene rose to nearly the ceiling in their home. The couple escaped the storm at a Red Cross shelter in Clearwater, Florida.

“I was standing on the kitchen counter as the water came up, and when it reached my waist, I knew we had to go,” Walker said. “We could feel our house shifting on its foundation, and some of our neighbors’ houses were pushed several feet into their yards, like a giant bulldozer just shoved them."

"Being in this shelter has made such a difference in our lives. Everyone is like a big family here,” she continued. “The volunteers have been so kind to us — I’ve seen a lot of love in this room.” Walker and Red Crosser Kimberley Heater have formed a real bond. “Even on my day off from volunteering, I had to come in and check on them,” Heater said. “I really care a lot about these people.”

No place else to go

Gerald Tietz was a stonemason for nearly 40 years in Pennsylvania and retired to Florida a few years ago. When the storm surge from Hurricane Helene flooded his home, he sought refuge at a Red Cross shelter in Clearwater, Florida.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said, “I had to go someplace. I’m really glad I found this shelter because I had no place else to go. I arrived hungry, and these volunteers fed me and have met every need I have since I’ve been here. They’ve checked on me, provided a place to sleep, and kept me up to date on services available.”

Malia Funaki (left) also sought shelter there after the storm surge forced her to evacuate her home. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go,” she said. “They’ve treated me like family. I feel safe here, and I know they’re not gonna close the doors until they know I have somewhere to go.”

Gave me some normalcy

Years ago, Amanda Lemond was a journalist covering the Hurricane Katrina disaster in New Orleans. After Hurricane Helene devastated her home, she sought refuge at the American Red Cross shelter in Clearwater, Florida.

“I lost my car, I lost everything,” she said. “I grabbed my laptop and a few things, and then I thought, where I am going to go? And where will they allow me to bring my dog? From the moment I walked into the shelter, I didn’t feel like a number. Within five minutes they knew my name and they knew my dog’s name. They calmed me so I could sleep that night.”

“We’ve become a community here,” Lemond commented. “They even set up a television and we watched Monday night football together. They’ve brought some normalcy into my life, when my world is anything but normal right now.”

Couldn’t escape the storm

With the overwhelming devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, it’s all hands on-deck for the Red Cross across the entire southeastern United States. Central Florida Red Cross chapter executive Mike Brown is volunteering at a shelter. He spends time talking to Joan Hawk, a local resident who sought refuge at the shelter after evacuating her flooded home.

“I have donated to the Red Cross for years,” Hawk said, “and now we’re here in a shelter.”

Joan has numerous health challenges, and the Red Cross disaster health volunteer has monitored her closely. “I left my prescriptions behind,” she said, “and they got the medications I need.”

The storm surge caused by the hurricane rose in their home at an alarming rate, over four feet high. They went to the garage to flee, but the water was up to the hood of their minivan and the car was ruined. Police brought them to the shelter. “I want to seriously thank the Red Cross for helping us," Hawk said. “They’ve all been so great; I don’t know what we would have done without them.”

I’ve lost everything

“I went to an evacuation shelter the night of Hurricane Helene,” said Tina Jackson of Tampa, Florida, and the next night they brought me here to the American Red Cross shelter.”

“I had water up to my waist in my house, and a lot of it was sewage that backed up through the system,” she said. I went to the bedroom to gather some clothes and things, but the drawers were swollen and wouldn’t open. I salvaged very little — I’ve lost everything.”

“You guys have been great,” she said to Red Cross volunteer Victor Amsdell. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I’ve always donated blood to the Red Cross, but now I see all the good the Red Cross does when people really need help.”