Residents in Keaton Beach in Florida returned to a haunting void after Hurricane Helene rampaged the coastal U.S. community, reducing homes to rubbles.
Keaton Beach, nestled in Florida's Big Bend region, has suffered the wrath of the hurricane, which left at least 40 people killed and dozens of homes disappeared.
The category four storm reduced many houses to mere foundations, including the cherished two-story blue and white house where Ashlyn Pitts, a resident, shared precious memories with her grandmother.
"This was where our home was. This was where we lived full-time. It was a big two-story blue and white house," said Pitts.
"It's very devastating. We all grew up down here. My grandpa passed away, and all the memories we have are down here, and it's just so sad," said Mekailyn Schell, another resident.
Glenda Padgett, another resident, rebuilt her family home after Hurricane Hermine struck in 2016, only to face loss again.
"This one just took it. There's nothing left of it. I see my bed that I wish I had taken with me, a 2,000-dollar bed for my back. Honestly, there's just nothing here. I don't even know where to start. I've got my grandchildren living with me, and everything they had was here, and everything I had was here," said Padgett.
With her home gone, Glenda also lost her livelihood and the means to support her three grandchildren. The structure had two apartments downstairs that she would rent to local fishermen.
With her livelihood shattered and no insurance coverage to aid in rebuilding, Glenda faces an uncertain future.
"I love Keaton. I love it. I have no insurance. I couldn't afford it. I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't rebuild. I don't have the money. Maybe I can clean this up and put in a camper, but I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. I never thought this would happen," said Padgett.
"It's gone. Right down there on the left. Well, it was, but now it's just gone, with a lot of others," said Shannon Millinor, a resident.
As the community grapples with the harsh reality of their losses, the lack of insurance coverage exacerbates the crisis. As Millinor noted, residents with flood insurance may expect their insurance providers to try to withhold payouts for hurricane-induced damage.
"I don't know (if we'll rebuild). I don't know if we have the funds to do it. It depends on how the insurance works out," he said.
It was a grim day for the residents of Keaton Beach. They anticipated some damage but never imagined losing everything.
Hurricane Helene devastates US coastal community with homes vanished
