- A historic storm surge forced boats up on to land during Hurricane Idalia.
- Neighbors in Steinhatchee are working to clear mud from their homes
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Hurricane Idalia's storm surge pushed three sailboats into Lee Doucette's backyard.
He says he thought his home was going to be damaged or destroyed.
"You think, is my home still there? (pause) It's still here."
Lee Doucette is cleaning up the inches of mud left behind by Hurricane Idalia's storm surge.
Next on his list:
"We're going over there. He's only got two people over there right now."
He's going to help his Tommy Keeler, one of six neighbors on his street.
"Everybody helps everybody. We call it the Rivergate 8."
Doucette already helped many neighbors
"Five cars, five golf carts, three boats."
by letting them store things like boats in a warehouse.
"I don't know what I would've done. I probably would've had to take it to Fernidana and rent a truck or something like that"
The damage they are helping clean up: mud and pieces of roofs and docks washed up in the backyard in a storm surge to 8 feet..
"It's amazing how strong the wind is to carry this metal down here"
Doucette says the washed up debris is nothing compared to what could have happened.
"I look at the bright side. We have a home and we're alive. So, it's good."
Not only is Doucette helping his neighbors, he is also having people like his friend Leslie come and help.
"Leslie said I brought an army. Let's go."
"You know what I rely on? Friends. No, I don't rely on them. They come."
Doucette and Keeler are both headed out of town to stay with family that has power.
Keeler told me Florida Fish and Wildlife crews will be back to help them with damage left in the backyard.
