As the weather gets colder in the tristate area, New Jerseyians and New Yorkers alike are heading south for some warmth. That was the case for Ajua Ampadu and her family, who got caught right outside of the eye of Hurricane Milton.
Ampadu was in town visiting her mother Brenda, in Temple Terrace, Florida. The timing was This is just 10 miles from Tampa, Florida where the storm did the most damage.
“We were pretty shaken up. It was hard to go to sleep last night,” said Ampadu. “It was like someone was dragging furniture along the roof. That’s what it sounded like all night long.”
Despite the massive amounts of destruction, Ampadu said that the community surrounding her and her family could not have been nicer, assisting those who were in need. “They saw the debris, tree that fell in-house, and immediately wanted to check in to make sure we were OK. So very fortunate. They offered food and water,” she said.
Back in New York, they are planning to send reinforcements of their own. New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that she would send 65 members of the NY’s National Guard to Florida. She said, “As hurricanes wreak devastation along much of the Southeastern United States, we are stepping up to support response efforts for those in need…I am deploying the New York National Guard to protect Floridians in the path of Hurricane Milton – offering resources, assistance, and standing united with our neighbors in this time of crisis.”
