Voices from Hurricane Helene’s eye in Perry, Florida
The small arboreal lumber town of Perry, Florida, has become a magnet for hurricanes and the suffering that comes in the aftermath.
The hurricane, with fierce 140-mph winds at landfall, was the third to barrel into the Taylor County coastline in just 13 months and plunge that part of North Florida into darkness and misery. All three landfalls were roughly 23 miles apart in Taylor County.
Tallahassee Democrat sports editor Jim Henry spoke to two residents as Hurricane Helene was howling outside their homes. Here are their stories.
‘After the third one in a row, I am done,’ says former FSU football star
As a child, Justin Amman thought it would be exciting to experience a hurricane.
As an adult, Amman is over it.
“As a kid I always wanted to go through one,” Amman said, as the Category 4 storm was closing in and gusts were howling outside. “After the third one in a row, I am done with them.”
Amman, a starting offensive lineman on Florida State football’s 1999 national championship team, lives near downtown Perry with his family.
Amman, 46, and local residents were hit by Hurricane Idalia in August 2023 and Hurricane Debby in August 2024. Unbelievably, all three landfalls were roughly 23 miles apart in Taylor County.
“We went like 100 years without one and then three direct hits in 13 months,” Amman said.
Amman’s wife and youngest son stayed with family in St. Augustine Thursday, while Amman and his oldest son remained in their home.
A drone view shows a damaged roof amid damage from Hurricane Helene in Perry, Florida, U.S., September 27, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Bello
IIonically, Amman said an insurance claim he filed following Hurricane Idalia was settled four weeks ago.
Amman said Idalia seemed more frightening compared to Debby and Helene because it came ashore near Keaton Beach in the morning.
“Idalia seemed worse because you could see everything happening,’ Amman said. “Debby passed through quickly. I have heard stuff crashing outside. I won’t know what it is until tomorrow. I was wondering if I should have went to St. Augustine with my wife and her sister.”
Donald Heaven, second from left, poses with former FSU teammates, from left to right, Justin Amman, Tarlos Thomas and Jarad Moon.
‘The greatest place in the world’: Perry residents draw on neighbors for strength
It doesn’t matter how many hurricanes Mother Nature throws at Perry and Taylor County.
“You wouldn’t believe how people around here take care of each other,” Mark Southerland said.
“It’s the greatest place in the world. We will be out first thing tomorrow checking on each other and helping people.”
Southerland, 63, is a lifelong Perry resident. He attended Florida State, owned South House Furniture on W. Main Street for years and his home is a few blocks from downtown.
A fallen tree lies on the ground amid damage from Hurricane Helene in Perry, Florida, U.S., September 27, 2024.
Southerland and his family rode out Hurricane Helene Thursday, which made landfall near the mouth of the Aucilla River at 11:10 p.m. with maximum sustained winds estimated at 140 mph.
It’s the third hurricane to strike the area in the past 13 months.
“It’s a ugly wind, a lot of rain,” Southerland said of Helene.
Southerland checked on his home as the eye of the hurricane and its light winds passed over the area.
“I just went outside and I have no damage yet,” Southerland said. “I might get lucky.”
Southerland expects residents to rally around each other again Friday.
“We will see what it looks like and will get to work,” Southerland said.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Voices from the eye of Hurricane Helene in Perry, Florida: ‘I’m done’
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