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Oldsmar residents picking up the pieces after Hurricane Helene

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Published  September 30, 2024 7:33pm EDT
Pinellas County
FOX 13 News

Hurricane Helene: Oldsmar cleans up after storm

Lloyd Sowers reports

OLDSMAR, Fla. - The waters of Old Tampa Bay in Oldsmar are quiet now, but the sounds along its shores come from hammers and saws. People are removing soaked drywall and putting their ruined furniture and appliances out on the curb.

"Everything is pretty much gone," said Ellery Butler-Sellman, an Oldsmar resident. 

The home the family bought four years ago is one of many that flooded in Oldsmar’s Country Club Estates neighborhood.

READ: Pinellas teacher dies in dangerous storm surge caused by Hurricane Helene

"We took on more than three feet of water," said Ellery’s father, John Butler, a Pinellas County school teacher. "All the furniture is destroyed, all the appliances are gone, the electronics are gone, most of my clothes, all of my books, our family photographs. We’re saving those to the best of our ability."

Perhaps their biggest loss, at least from an emotional standpoint, is their beloved tree in the backyard. Ellery and her husband have a photo of them exchanging wedding vows beneath that same tree. 

Now, the huge tree lies on its side, uprooted by Hurricane Helene. 

MORE: Homeowners affected by Hurricane Helene advised to file insurance claims ASAP

"It’s been really emotional, really sad to see it go. It’s been hard," said Ellery. 

Down the street, Gareth Bartz separated the ruined contents of his home as he waits for his wife and three young children to rejoin him. They had been staying with a relative. 

He plans to take some of the ruined items away from the curb before his children arrive. 

"Just so they don’t see their toys and stuff like that sitting out by the road," he said. 

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