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Sarasota mobile home community destroyed in Hurricane Milton: 'I wanted to cry'

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Published  October 14, 2024 7:05pm EDT
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

Milton damages Sarasota retirement community

Lloyd Sowers reports

SARASOTA, Fla. - If you take one look at the damage left behind by Hurricane Milton at Tri-Par Estates Mobile Home Park in Sarasota, you can see why most evacuation orders begin with mobile home residents. Twisted metal is everywhere in the community as they begin the road to recovery. 

"It's a total loss," said David Barbee, pointing to his vintage 1963 house trailer. "Everything inside is destroyed. Right now, I'm living in that truck," he said as he walked toward his pickup. 

As bleak as it is, residents in the community know they did the right thing when they evacuated ahead of Hurricane Milton. 

READ: Water restored to Sarasota County's Barrier Islands

"We were so glad to get out of here," said resident Linda Farmwald. "Can you imagine all this metal flying around?"

During the Tampa Bay area's one-two punch from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, some thought about riding out the storm in their manufactured homes – but not the second one.

It was hard to come back, though, and see what the storm did. 

"I wanted to cry. It was awful," said Chris Farmwald, the son of one of the park's residents.

MORE: Barrier Islands ask for support as recovery continues

Now, this community of senior citizens take refuge in the park's clubhouse. There's some cereal, crackers and canned food brought by a church group. Other help has been hard to get. 

"FEMA didn’t show up," Barbee said. "There was another organization. They just gave us phone numbers to call for help."

Several residents told FOX 13 that they're relying on their churches and their faith to get them through. They've started a fundraiser on the internet, but amid the destruction, they're still thankful.

"I think we're all lucky that nobody died," said Barbee as he straightened the contents of the truck that he's lived in for the past several days. 

He hopes to buy a newer mobile home, but he's seen with his own eyes that a mobile home is no place to be in a hurricane. 

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