TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Mark Willis and Mary Joe Dulje moved to Manatee County, Florida, from Kentucky just seven months ago. Now, they’re already starting over again.
Hurricane Milton destroyed mobile home parks in Manatee County, including the Tidevue Estates mobile home park, where Willis and Dulje live. The storm left many people at Tidevue Estates and other parks with entirely destroyed homes.
“This was our dream, both needed warmer weather, and so this was our happily ever after,” Willis said.
Milton shattered that dream.
Dulje and Willis evacuated with their two rescue cats, but when they returned their home was a total loss.
“The complete roof just got ripped off and thrown into the Shake Shack parking lot. You know it’s just heartbreaking,” he said. “It’s our first hurricane, too.”
They say they are numb and in shock.
“We’ve got major leaks,” Willis said. “Everything was sobbing wet.”
Mobile home communities saw devastation beyond belief.
“We’ve all been through something very, very traumatic,” said Chief Scott Tyler, Palmetto Police Department. “It’s going to take a long time to recover from this, but people need to focus on their blessings and focus on each other.”
During the height of the storm, emergency services were suspended, but as soon as it was safe, Tyler said his officers followed up on those 64 calls they received during that time.
“They were almost exclusively welfare checks,” he said. “A lot of people calling from out of the area saying, ‘can you go check on my loved one’ and a lot of them were in the mobile home parks.”
Tyler said some stores are starting to re-open including Publix and Walmart. He recommended staying off the road to conserve gas, but mobile home residents need help now.
“Food is getting scarce,” Willis said. “Can’t get insurance and it’s gone, so we just hope FEMA will be here.”