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Family of AZ Cardinals photog tormented by hurricanes
The family of a former Arizona Cardinal photographer has gone through quite the ordeal after moving to Florida and battling through the damages of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas has the story.
PHOENIX - An Arizona Cardinals photographer is one of millions who have experienced two hurricanes within the past month.
His home was hit hard during Helene but he had a little more luck with Hurricane Milton.
"I couldn't believe it," said Gene Lower.
He recently moved his family to St. Pete Beach, Fla. for a fresh start after the death of their son, Ryder.
"We came to Florida trying to make a new start and you know, life happens. This is Mother Nature," said his wife, Taryn Lower.
Hurricane Helene destroyed their home, causing them to pack what little belongings they had left and move to Port Charlotte temporarily.
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"And of all things, we ended up kind of being near the eye of the storm for this last one, Milton," Gene said.
On Monday, Gene and Taryn Lower waited for their daughter Skyelar to come home after the university she attends had all students evacuate.
"When I was driving here, everyone was driving the opposite direction," she said. "Traffic was horrible on the other side of the road."
By the time Skyelar made it to her parents on Monday, it was too late to leave Port Charlotte.
"By that point the highways were just littered with traffic and cars running out of gas and there was a major gas shortage," said Gene Lower. "Even if you could find gas, you'd be lucky if you could fill up your tank. So, we just decided to hunker in place and ride it out."
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Since Port Charlotte was not in a mandatory evacuation zone, they decided to stay.
"It was kind of a long day of anticipation," Taryn Lower said. "The winds just gradually got stronger and stronger. Light rain throughout the day but not a ton."
Luckily, the house they are staying in now wasn't hit hard.
"It was crazy to think that we were so close to the eye of the storm and yet luckily we received minimal damage to where we're at now and the community," said a relieved Gene Lower.
They are still without power, but that's just a minor inconvenience compared to what Helene did to their St. Pete Beach home.
"We feel like once we get settled at one place, we're going to another and it's been hard," said Taryn Lower. "We're just ready to be like, ‘ok enough is enough.’"
The Lowers haven't gone back to their home in St. Pete Beach because of the gas shortage.
They say they are going to wait it out and hope their home is still standing.