ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Roger Ahles said water never entered his St. Petersburg home since living there beginning in 1965.
That all changed more than one week ago when Hurricane Helene forced catastrophic storm surge throughout Tampa Bay, flooding many homes.
Now, ahead of Hurricane Milton, his home just may flood again.
“I fought it as best I could. I kept moving sandbags trying to rearrange him to keep it back,” Ahles said.
The National Hurricane Center stated Milton rapidly intensified into a Category 5 storm on Monday.
Helene made landfall in the Big Bend region, but this time Milton is more likely to make direct landfall in the Tampa Bay region.
Like other long-time residents, Ahles rode out the storm but he said that won’t happen with Milton.
He’s planning to evacuate to Orlando with his family, including his daughter Sasha Ahles.
"This time feels really different,” she said. “It's just, it's very nerve wracking. No one's sleeping well."
Romilio Pupu Moreno and his wife Ophelia Rodriguez said they’re evacuating their mobile home park in Clearwater starting Tuesday.
The two said they are worried but focused on preparations and their faith in God to help them get through the storm. Preparations include raising their belongings up.
Hurricanes Debby and Helene forced water into their home. The floor appears to still be buckling, water is still trickling down and power is still an issue.
It’s not just water that poses a threat. Their home sits next to a body of water where alligators can be found.
Pupu Moreno, said he had surgery on his legs, prompting mobility concerns and encouraging him to evacuate to higher ground.
However, they, like other storm survivors said evacuation orders must not be taken lightly.
“Our lives is the one thing we can't replace,” she said. “The material items, as sad as it is to lose them, is it doesn't top like, you know, our family and our lives and being able to continue on together."
A GoFundMe has since been launched by loved ones for the Ahles family. If you’d like to donate, visit this link.