CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — At Crystal River Kayak Company, Don Markham said he’s over the tears and looking ahead.
“The overwhelming support of the community has really helped charge us up and push us along,” he said.
The EF-2 tornado that came through Crystal River in the early morning on Oct. 12 damaged several businesses and homes.
Crystal River Kayak had to tear down its dive center, a building they had just repaired following Hurricane Idalia.
Most kayaks are damaged, and others simply flew away.
“There’s six more clear kayaks somewhere out there in the world. We don’t even know where they are,” Markham said.
But now, they will use the opportunity to rebuild.
“The sky's the limit on all the options we have coming back.”
This area of Citrus County already had to deal with major flooding from Hurricane Idalia, and now this.
Arthur Green, owner of AJ’s Deli, said what Crystal River has gone through shows the closeness of this community.
“People are helping build things. They are helping people move things, trying to get ready for insurance. FEMA is trying to do what they can as well. When people do that, they donate their time to people they don’t even know. That’s what this community is.”
Some businesses will be closed for a while.
Truist has a mobile bank out front.
While no major injuries came from the tornado, many in Crystal River are hurting over the damage it did and hoping for a break from Mother Nature.
