APOPKA, Fla. – The outer bands of Hurricane Helene hit some areas of Central Florida hard Thursday night.
One home near Apopka suffered significant damage when the storm ripped off its roof.
Fred Lynn is the homeowner. He recalled the terrifying experience.
“It was scary watching it in there because I heard it like a freight train, come through,” said Lynn.
As daylight broke on Friday morning, the full extent of the damage became clear.
“I was surprised to see how much of the roof had come off,” Lynn said.
Lynn has lived in the neighborhood for 57 years and reflected on the many cherished memories he has shared with his family at the property, which now faces multiple structural issues.
When the storm’s winds tore paneling from the home, it left a hole that allowed water to seep into the house. Water also started to leak through other parts of the secondary roof.
“It’s leaking in the two bedrooms, it’s leaking in both bathrooms, it’s leaking in the kitchen, it’s leaking in where I had a fireplace. I’ve got a hole up there where that was because the chimney is gone,” Lynn said.
Lynn was hoping to get assistance from FEMA.
“I’m aggravated because I’ve called FEMA to see if I can get some help here to get the roof at least covered for now, and it’s not going to be any help from them because they said Joe Biden, the president, has not signed off as a declaration of a disaster yet,” Lynn said.
Under federal law, the state must request assistance from FEMA for a disaster. President Biden signed the original disaster declaration on Sept. 24, but at the time the request did not include Orange County.
On Friday, while surveying hurricane damage in Perry, Gov. DeSantis said the state was going to petition to get individual assistance from FEMA.
“I would imagine that’s going to be granted given the severity of the storm. That is not going to be able to be a substitute for what a full insurance would do, but it can help people who are in need,” DeSantis said, adding that he has not yet talked to the president about coming to survey the damage from the storm.
The family did manage to hire a local company to cover the roof with tarps, but it cost them over $2,000.
Lynn also contacted his insurance company immediately after the storm hit.
“I haven’t had a phone call back from the adjuster from Foremost Insurance yet,” Lynn said.
Despite the devastation, there was a small bit of good news for the family.
Initially, the detached roof had fallen onto their car, leaving them uncertain about the extent of the damage. Fortunately, the car suffered only minor scratches and remains drivable.
However, Lynn is still grappling with the larger issue of repairing his home.
“It’s just very frustrating, trying to get somebody to help you get something done, and it shouldn’t be this difficult,” he said.
As Central Florida continues to recover from Helene’s impact, families like the Lynns are left dealing with the aftermath, hoping for relief and support.
Fortunately, some of his neighbors have come by to help pick up debris. Lynn said he is thankful and open to any help from the community.
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