Couple recovering from Hurricane Helene travels to Milwaukee to escape Hurricane Milton’s path

MILWAUKEE — Hurricane Milton comes as people are still recovering from the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Diane Hintz and Lance Bjorklund drove to Milwaukee to escape this latest hurricane.

“There are thousands who are displaced. We just packed up the car and said that’s it. We’re going back to Wisconsin. It’s our only choice,” Hintz told TMJ4 News.

Hintz and Bjorklund arrived in Milwaukee Tuesday, leaving their home in Madeira Beach, Florida, behind. They managed to leave before the roads became packed with evacuees. However, it is hard to feel relief as the pair watches the painful challenges facing millions of people.

“I just hope for the best for all my friends who are still there,” Bjorklund stated.

The couple planted roots in Madeira Beach several years ago and spoke fondly of the friends who became family. Bjorklund explained that it reminds him of their neighborhood in Milwaukee.

Watch: Couple recovering from Hurricane Helene travels to Milwaukee to escape Hurricane Milton’s path

Couple recovering from Hurricane Helene travels to Milwaukee to escape Hurricane Milton’s path

Last month, Hurricane Helene destroyed their home. Hintz and Bjorklund stayed at a place a few miles away for safety.

“When they allowed us to come back home to see the destruction, it was just breathtaking,” Hintz recalled. “It brought tears to my eyes just after Helene, seeing all of our neighbors losing their homes.”

Pictures show the water line several feet above the ground at Hintz and Bjorklund’s Florida home. They say that the building will have to be torn down and rebuilt.

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Just as they processed that damage, Hurricane Milton became a bigger threat.

“It’s devastating. I can hardly talk about it without getting emotional,” Bjorklund said.

“You think you get the rug pulled out from under you once, and then you see all your family and loved ones and people that you’ve been with for 10 to 13 years, and you realize there’s going to be a second destruction, so it’s indescribable,” Hintz added.

Bjorklund’s son set up a crowdfunding campaign to help them rebuild their lives.

“We both love that beach. We’d like to go back, but that beach won’t be the same for a long time,” Bjorklund stated.

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