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Davis Islands residents, businesses owners begin difficult recovery after Hurricane Helene

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Published  September 28, 2024 3:33pm EDT
Hurricane Helene
FOX 13 News

Area of low pressure in Caribbean could form

FOX 13 News Meteorologist Valerie Mills says an area of low pressure in the western Caribbean could form and is moving northwest into the Gulf of Mexico. Mills says a wave in the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Joyce and Hurricane Isaac are also being monitored.

DAVIS ISLANDS, Fla. - For those living and working on Davis Islands, their lives will be forever changed after Hurricane Helene caused significant storm surge. 

"From what my landlord had told me, the water was up over the hood of my car," said Jonathan Wood who lost his car and all of his belongings. "But I'm here, and I'm alive." 

By the time Hurricane Helene's storm surge rushed down his street, it was too late to evacuate.

"In the house, the water started coming up through the bathtub and through the toilet," said Wood. 

He survived the night by staying on top of his king-size bed in his one-story rental unit while water filled his home.

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"I've been here 25 years, and I'm 68, so I had another life before I got here just to see all the destruction," said Wood. "Everybody's car was affected. If you walk through the village, every one of the stores has been destroyed." 

The walkway along Island Villages looked like a yard sale as business owners and employees spent their Saturday morning removing ruined furniture and inventory on their shelves. 

"We're definitely a family staple here on the island," said Marissa Tutterow who is the manager at Farrell's Restaurant and Ice Cream Shoppe. "We do everything here from breakfast sandwiches to ice cream late at night." 

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She doesn't know when they're going to get back up and running again, but this will be a complete restart.

"We're really like a family and that has kept us together and made this a lot easier which is good," said Tutterow.

Wood says his landlord is working on restoring his apartment quickly and next time a storm comes around, he says, he won't be sticking around.

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