Harry and Lorraine’s Story: One Year after Hurricane Milton

One year after Hurricane Milton swept through Florida, Harry and his wife Lorraine have their home back in shape. With SBP’s help, the damaged drywall was repaired, new baseboards were installed, lighting and ceiling fans were restored, and the electrical system was upgraded. 

Replacing the family’s air conditioner—a must in the Florida heat—brought them comfort and relief. Harry noticed the difference right away: “Things literally started to look brighter,” he said. “[SBP] pulled us out of a depression. People out there care for you—it just makes you feel better about the whole thing.”

The road to recovery hadn’t been easy. Milton hit just two years after Hurricane Ian, and Harry and Lorraine had already spent months rebuilding their home while Harry recovered from two heart attacks. 

They had poured every penny into repairs, even driving to Orlando to pick up cabinets Harry could repurpose. Lorraine worked double shifts, sometimes 96 hours a week, to keep the household afloat.

“I’m not a contractor. I deliver buses for a living,” Harry said. “I’m not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagination. But we pushed forward because we had no other choice.”

When Milton struck as a Category 3 hurricane with winds topping 120 mph, the damage threatened to erase all that progress. Costs mounted, and Harry found himself working seven days a week just to keep up. For a time, it felt impossible.

That’s when SBP stepped in. They helped Harry and Lorraine salvage what they could and rebuild the home they had already worked so hard to restore. Beyond clearing damaged materials and replacing the HVAC system, SBP repaired drywall, installed new baseboards, fixed lighting and ceiling fans, and upgraded the electrical system, giving them a sense of normalcy they hadn’t felt in months.

Reflecting on his experience, Harry has a message for other families affected by disasters: “If you keep trying, people will see it and help you. It just takes a little time, and something good will happen,” he said.

Read SBP’s Hurricane Helene and Milton One-Year Impact Update