ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — So many homes were hit by Helene and Milton, whether it was by flood waters, strong winds or both.
In South St. Pete, there is still flood waters in some areas and a number of trees snapped in half near Lake Maggiore.
There is a similar scene just a few miles down the road where Robert Vinson lives.
Vinson walked through his home Monday to survey damage for the first time after Hurricane Milton, during which he evacuated. He stayed for Helene and described what happened then.
“This entire area was compromised. The water was literally pouring in from my porch back here. We had never seen five and a half feet of water in a porch area,” he said.
The high water lines and torn up floors are a result of Helene.
His family evacuated for this latest storm and it wasn’t until his wife spotted a foot spa in their fireplace filled with water that they realized their house flooded again during Milton. It took away the few things they had left.
An old family picture he left to dry out on their fireplace was ruined in this last storm and is now covered in mold, like most of the stuff in his house.
It’s the kind of damage he wasn’t prepared to deal with once, let alone a second time.
To add even more to his plate, he had to survey the damage to Bethel Metropolitan Church, where he serves as the lead pastor.
“Bethel Metropolitan is the same age as the City of St. Petersburg,” he said.
After some surveying, he is thankful the damage at their house of worship isn’t as bad as it is at his family’s home.
“We’ve got a lot of debris. And this is part of the church,” he said.
But that doesn’t make losing it all hurt any less.
“Divinity has its place, because that’s everything along with divinity. We still have to look at Jesus and his humanity. I’m human. I was very transparent with my congregation. I’m broken,” he said.
“But the one thing that God gave me is you have to be a blessing while you’re bleeding, but I’m being careful.”
He’s being careful as he cleans up, cares for the community and copes with the loss. He said his church staff and leaders are stepping up while he gets his home together. Members and staff are also helping to get the church doors back open.