TAMPA, Fla. — A year after Hurricane Maria, the Rolon family, among many other displaced Puerto Rican families, are still trying to adjust to a new way of life.
- Rolon family moved to Tampa shortly after storm
- Challenges have brought them closer together
- Family hopes to move into new home by end of year
Carlos Rolon, his wife and two daughters moved to Tampa from Puerto Rico shortly after the storm.
The challenges over the last year have brought their family closer together, but they say they’ll never forget the storm that changed their lives.
“We were there,” said Carlos Rolon. “We were holding the door. We were, like, trying to do our best not to lose our life or our belongings."
"Remembering that, it’s painful," he continued. "It’s shocks you again. I don’t think it’ll be erased from our minds. Never.”
Since moving from the island, Rolon has been searching for new job opportunities. He previously played professional volleyball in Puerto Rico, so he has already brought his talents to Tampa to start a volleyball club for young girls.
The club is called Dynamite Volleyball.
Meanwhile, the family hopes to move into a new home by the end of the year.
They said they have no plans to move back to Puerto Rico.