Well, I just got back from Punta Gorda last night, and I can honestly tell you that the pictures on TV don't even begin to give you an idea of the destruction I saw. One double-wide trailer was completely thrown on its side, most were destroyed. I saw a truck at a used car lot located probably 2 miles from any water, and the truck had a buoy jammed up under it! The scariest thing I saw was a palm tree with the post of a stop sign slammed completely through it!
It's so surreal though. You walk through the neighborhood that was perfect two days earlier and is now 3/4 destroyed. It actually smells like rotten, water-logged wood, you can SMELL the destruction. The whole time I was there, news choppers were hovering over us at least two at a time. The whole thing is just too overwhelming to even process.
My parents are doing alright, all things considered. I guess right now, all my parents (Jack and Laurie, for those who don't know) can do is wait and do what work they can. They'll come out of this alright, and I already made them promise to come stay up here for a little while, just to get away from all that crap down there. But, like I said, they're resilient people, they'll get through this. Their friends are getting back into town in the next day or 2, so at least they won't be alone. Luckily, the surrounding towns have electricity, so they can at least go down there when they need a good meal or something.
PS: everyone shop at Albertson's if you have one by you. They donated a ton of water, food, and soda to my parents' park, which was greatly appreciated.
It's so surreal though. You walk through the neighborhood that was perfect two days earlier and is now 3/4 destroyed. It actually smells like rotten, water-logged wood, you can SMELL the destruction. The whole time I was there, news choppers were hovering over us at least two at a time. The whole thing is just too overwhelming to even process.
My parents are doing alright, all things considered. I guess right now, all my parents (Jack and Laurie, for those who don't know) can do is wait and do what work they can. They'll come out of this alright, and I already made them promise to come stay up here for a little while, just to get away from all that crap down there. But, like I said, they're resilient people, they'll get through this. Their friends are getting back into town in the next day or 2, so at least they won't be alone. Luckily, the surrounding towns have electricity, so they can at least go down there when they need a good meal or something.
PS: everyone shop at Albertson's if you have one by you. They donated a ton of water, food, and soda to my parents' park, which was greatly appreciated.
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