Rescue at flooded Plant City mobile home park leads to emotional reunion between mother and son

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Published  October 10, 2024 4:53pm EDT
FOX 13 News
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People rescued from mobile home park in Plant City

FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.

PLANT CITY, Fla. - A mobile home park in Plant City is mostly underwater after Hurricane Milton caused devastating flooding that residents there say was never before seen. 

The Lakes at Countrywood Mobile Home along Sam Allen Road suffered waist-deep flooding early Thursday morning. 

Residents told FOX 13 that water began entering their homes around 2 a.m. and Plant City and Hillsborough County firefighters responded around 6 a.m. with airboats and ATVS to help rescue those who were trapped.

Corey Jones, whose parents live in the Lakes, said the community is in a low-lying area, so it's not surprising this happened with so much rain dumped there at once.

Hurricane Milton Coverage

"There was a golf course to our left, and it's completely submerged now," said Jones. "It's a beautiful community that everybody just moved in, invested their money in, and their retirement, and now it's up in shambles." 

When a FOX 13 crew arrived at the park, a woman said she was very concerned about her 55-year-old son because he decided to ride the storm out in his mobile home. She didn't know if he was okay when she arrived, but the sweet reunion was caught on camera.

"My house is this high off the ground and the water is right there at my floor level. My vehicles are underwater," her son said. "It was a rough night." 

"It was terrifying," said his mother. "It was terrifying, but I'm glad I got him. We'll deal with the rest later." 

As firefighters and Florida Fish and Wildlife officials went door to door checking on residents, many decided not to leave. For those who did, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue placed them on a school bus and escorted them to local shelters. 

There's no telling when all of the water will recede, but it could take several days.

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