ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (WSVN) – It’s been seven weeks since Hurricane Milton destroyed parts of Florida. But for some St. Lucie residents, the memory of the destruction it caused lives on.
The storm covered the streets with rubble and made for a difficult journey, but somehow the residents found the strength to move forward.
The holiday felt different during Thanksgiving in a St. Lucie County town.
“When you go outside first thing in the morning, you see it,” Indian River Estates resident Mark Cain said.
“You can’t ignore it,” Kim Cain said.
Mark and his wife Kim lost their home in a tornado outbreak.
“As you can see, there is no roof,” Kim said.
They picked up the pieces each week.
“So this is our home,” I said.
The couple recently moved into a camper in their backyard as they prepare for repairs on their home.
“It feels like home,” Kim said.
And the Cain family is not alone in dealing with loss.
“This morning we were having Thanksgiving breakfast with my dad and we were still going through it,” said Indian River Estates resident Fallon Porcelli.
Porcelli’s house has a hole in the roof.
“We are far from being able to host, so it was nice to have people open up their homes for us to spend time together,” she said.
They are currently trying to overcome a difficult situation.
“We’re so grateful to be here today and to have everyone here together,” he said.
“So this is our home,” Kim said.
The family is now moving through the devastation.
“We’re getting back to normal,” Kim said. “The only thing I miss is that Thanksgiving is the day I cook,” she said.
But even in her tiny camper, Kim found a way.
“I do a lot of things here,” she said. “That doesn’t deter me.”
She continues to make Thanksgiving stuffing.
“Thanksgiving is ready,” she said. “Betty Crocker”
Some residents have shown resilience even during the most difficult of times.
In 2024, Florida was hit by three different hurricanes: Debbie, Helen, and Milton.
Hurricane season ends Saturday.
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