TAMPA, Fla. — Neighbors around Tampa saw flooding unlike they'd ever seen with past storms and are now beginning the process of rebuilding after Hurricane Helene.
“There’s a lot of ups and downs throughout the day, but you just keep going one foot in front of the other,” said Dan Penrod.
That’s the attitude Penrod is choosing to carry with him as he, his family, and his neighbors rebuild after Hurricane Helene, what he calls the worst flooding he’s ever seen.
“We had 23 inches of water inside,” said Penrod. “We had 32 inches outside. Pretty much lost everything other than clothes at this point.”
Homes throughout their neighborhood off South West Shore Boulevard near Sunset Park in Tampa are gutted, and debris is scattered everywhere. Items that once made houses into homes now line the streets.
“Nobody thought it would come up that high,” said Carlton Bryant, who lives next door. “I thought you know we might get up in the first step of the garage. I’ve got two more feet to go. It just kept coming.”
Bryant’s house has been in his family for 60 years.
“About six inches of water. Two cars flooded,” said Bryant. “This was a good two and a half feet above anything we’ve seen. Hurricane Elena was the worst that we’ve had before.”
Still, the people here have seen the community step up to lend a helping hand to neighbors in need.
“Humanity’s not a political party, which is kinda something nice to see at this point that everybody’s helping each other,” said Penrod.
“You threw my son under the bus. You didn't take care of him.”
The State of Florida and the VA are under scrutiny after the Baker Act was used incorrectly on a young veteran who went to a Florida VA hospital for help.
