When Key West Branch President Gary Kelly heard that Hurricane Wilma was heading for his home town – a lonely island closer to Havana, Cuba than Miami – he decided to do what he has done during every other stormy event in the least three decades: stay at home.
He had heard about the flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi during Hurricane Katrina, but he wasn’t worried. His house is a few feet above sea level. And worst case, he would just run upstairs.
When Hurricane Wilma roared by, the water around Key West began to rise more than anytime in the past 100 years. Soon, his living room was filled with more than a foot of water. He began carrying essentials to the second floor, just as planned.
And then his wife Genevieve heard somebody shouting outside. It was a neighbor up to her shoulders in water, carrying a small baby. President Kelly rushed outside and brought the neighbors upstairs. And then they heard more shouting. Another neighbor – 89 years old – was caught in the flood. President Kelly also helped him into their house. Both neighbors lived in one-story homes that filled with water, and were appreciative to have a second storey.
The Kelly family and its new houseguests spent the day on the second floor watching the water rise and flood through Key West, a city of more than 30,000 that is primarily known for its tourist attractions and Caribbean weather.
“Everything was floating around – our couches and our table and chairs,” said President Kelly. “I’ve never seen flooding like that.”
Eventually, the water receded and the storm passed. President Kelly checked on the other members of his branch, all of whom were okay. The chapel was one of the few places that didn’t flood, and it’s a good thing too: Tuesday’s voting will take place there.
The only serious problem for President Kelly – besides losing four cars and many other possessions during the flood – was that he had no way of getting to church. “I tried to ride a bicycle, but it’s been a long time and I almost crashed in the driveway. I guess I’ll just have to use my feet,” the branch president said.
Virtually all of the homes in Key West will need cleaning after the flood. If they are not cleaned with bleach, they will certainly attract mold in South Florida’s subtropical climate. There will be a lot of work to do.
Meanwhile, 150 miles northeast of Key West, Miami and Ft Lauderdale are still recovering from the hurricane. The Key West Branch is part of the Homestead Stake, which runs all the way from central Miami down through the keys. Virtually every home in the stake lost electricity during the hurricane. Some homes will be without power for three to four weeks total. But there are several other stakes that were affected in the southern half of Florida.
Some homes were completely destroyed by the wind. Others just lost their roofs. Trees fell on cars, fences and backyard screens and, of course, power lines. There was relatively little flooding except for Key West and isolated communities along the coastline.
The good news is that the weather has been relatively mild. During August, Miami is one of the most uncomfortable spots in the world. During October and November, it starts becoming quite nice. People are beginning to sleep with their windows open, enjoying the cool evening breezes. And it’s a good thing: usually you fall asleep in Miami to the hum of air conditioning units. Now, you fall asleep to the chugging of generators.
As always, the hurricane is bringing people together. Our neighbor came by to offer us a power cord from his generator so we could keep our refrigerator running. In fact, virtually every residential road is crisscrossed with extension cords running from one house to another. People are sharing like never before and meeting their neighbors for the second time (the first time may have been during Hurricane Katrina in August).
Earlier in October, 28 people from the Homestead Stake traveled up to Mississippi to help rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Eventually, some of the people from Mississippi may come down here to help rebuild Miami and Key West. It all seems to even out in the end.
Especially for President Kelly. “Our chapel still has debris from Hurricane Katrina. But we’re used to it down here. I’ve lived in the keys for 30 years. We got flooded, and our wheat from the food storage was floating around. But it was well-sealed, and we tasted it. It’s still good.”
Geoffrey Biddulph is the author of a novel called “Island of the Innocent,” an adventure story that describes one man’s conversion to the fullness of the gospel. More information can be found here.
