As Hurricane Milton caused historic destruction last month, one PNW student held his breath awaiting word from his family—whose home was in the direct path of the devastating storm’s path.
Samuel Dickson, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, was relieved when he finally heard from his family, who live in Orlando, a city that experienced some of the storm’s strongest winds and heaviest rainfall.
“They stayed in the house, but the wind outside was terrifying,” he said. “It was so loud, it felt like it could knock anything down at any moment, even with all the windows and doors closed.”
The hurricane, which made landfall on Oct. 9, unleashed powerful winds and record-breaking rainfall, resulting in significant flooding and power outages across the state. One of the worst storms in Florida history, Hurricane Milton is estimated to have caused about $50 billion in damage and the deaths of at least 24 people.
While Dickson’s family avoided major damage, he said roads were blocked by debris and trees in the family’s neighborhood, and other properties were damaged.
“There was quite a lot of damage to the roads nearby,” he said. “Thankfully, my family didn’t have to evacuate from their house.”
To prepare, they had stocked up on food, water and batteries, and closed their windows and doors.
Like communities across the state, Orlando faced days of disrupted utilities and slow recovery efforts. Federal, state and local agencies have been working to restore essential services.
“Some of my family and friends lost power, and the drainage systems struggled to keep up with the rain,” Dickson said. “It was incredibly stressful for everyone, but they’re slowly getting back to normal now.”
Though the worst of the hurricane has passed, Dickson remains deeply aware of the challenges facing his family and others across Florida.
“I’m just happy that my family stayed safe,” he said. “But it’s hard not to feel concerned for the community and everyone else in Florida after seeing the images of flooded homes and hearing about the damage.”
While he has not been able to visit his family after the hurricane, he plans to go there later this month. Originally from Florida, Dickson moved to Hammond to play tennis for PNW and pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
