If you live in Florida or some of the other southeastern coastal states, hurricanes are just a part of life. They make for a couple of days of hanging out with your family and having a party. Not much else.

This week the hurricane threatening the coast became a severe storm, and no one was thinking hurricane party anymore. Hurricane Mathew grew to a monster Category 5 storm coming up in between Cuba and Haiti. Poor Haiti suffered hundreds of deaths from the historic storm.

With the track looking like a direct hit on Florid; a large section of the South Eastern Coast had to evacuate. The afternoon before it hit they were predicting a near direct hit on North Florida as a Cat 4 maybe even 5. Newscasters were trying to emphasize the storm is going to be serious and now is the time to get out.

Of course, not all newscasters were as tactful as the local anchors.

I have lived in North Florida my whole life and I have never evacuated until now. This storm scared everyone even Disney World.

Thirty-six hours before the storm my family and I packed up the car and headed to family in North Georgia. It was crazy leaving my home that morning. We took a picture of how it looked because we honestly didn’t know if it would still be there when we got back. We left at 6 in the morning and heading west on Interstate 10 was thankfully fast moving a few hours’ later that was not the case. From Melbourne to North Carolina the coast as thousands of people headed west to family, friends, and hotels to await their fates at the hands of Mathew.

It took us nine hours to get to Atlanta, but when we did we were surprised to be at a hotel with fellow evacuees. Everyone we met were so friendly. We all were facing an uncertain future but we were doing it with a smile. The local people who found out we were evacuees assured us that we were being bathed in prayer and wished us well.

My Facebook feed was filled with similar stories to mine. Friends leaving their homes and heading to safer ground. Some of my fellow journalism students even went live giving updates on their journey. The one thing we all had in common was fear that the home we left would never be the same again.

On the way out of town, I was overwhelmed with the image of lineman trucks lined up for miles coming South on 75 to sit in the ready to help people restore power as quick as possible. It is amazing to think about a person leaving their home to come and help people they don’t know. I hope they know their help is very much appreciated. Unfortunately, one of the workers lost their life trying to work with some wires.

Mathew thankfully weakened to a Cat 2 and skirted our coast instead of directly hitting us. After seeing the damage that was caused up and down the coast by this storm simply scooting up the coast I thank God it didn’t make landfall on our coast but pray diligently for the shores of North Carolina that did see an impact. On the coast, roads were washed away and the ocean flooded homes for blocks. St. Augustine, a 450-year-old city, was hit badly. The town was underwater in parts while other parts were simply washed away. The damage is extensive but the grateful feeling that it could have been so much worse is on everyone’s mind.

One thing no weather system can squelch is Southern hospitality, local businesses gave free food and coffee to first responders who were risking life and limb to help in the storm and continue to work as people are slowly let into their storm-ravaged homes.

People who had no damage helped neighbors that did. Those with power offered showers and hot food to those who were without. People even volunteered time at the local churches that suffered damage.

The storm left a large death toll in Haiti before it came to Florida and then up into the Carolinas. The death toll due to Mathew rose as the storm passed the US coast but thankfully not by much.

Now the that the storm has passed it is time for the clean-up and rebuilding to begin. Even though we are so grateful and lucky to miss a catastrophic impact our coastline will never look the same again. The clean up will take a community effort family helping family, friends, and neighbors helping friends and neighbors.

Southerners are amazing and sturdy people Mathew may have given North Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas a beating but they will come back better than before.

Ways you can help:

If you live in the area and see someone in need and you are able to help fill the need, don’t be shy, pay your blessings forward.

Give to the Red Cross they are on the ground offering assistance to those still without water or electricity and help to those whose homes are not inhabitable.