Michiana natives keeping a close eye on Hurricane Milton

 

Many people are anxiously watching the RADAR Wednesday night as Hurricane Milton nears Florida's west coast.

For Elkhart resident Kevin Bullard, who owns a house just outside of Tampa, that anxiety is even higher. 

Bullard hasn't been able to make it down to Florida since Hurricane Helene brought "unbelievable" damage to his neighborhood in St. Petersburg. Storm surge from Helene flooded more than four feet of water into Bullard's home. There's still a lot of debris littering lawns and streets, which Bullard says is an added danger factor with Hurricane Milton.

"Now we've got this strong hurricane coming in that area, and you know, you're going to be blowing projectiles around with this
strong force wind," Bullard explained.

Bullard plans to travel to Florida this weekend to try and see what is left behind at his house. There are two items in particular that he hopes to find when he arrives.

"I've got a hammer down there. That was my father's that I thought I'd take down there and use it if I needed it, Bullard recalled. "And then there was a vase, a Christmas present that I got for my wife."

If those items don't make it, Bullard said there are "other hammers and other vases" he could purchase. The memories that Milton might take away, however, are harder to replace.