Hurricane Irma has devastated Florida, destroying almost everything in its path.  While most Ohioans sat safely at home six states away, many members of the Hoban community now in Florida sat in its dangerous path.  Starting as a category 5 and measuring 425 miles in diameter, it has been recorded as one of the largest and most detrimental hurricanes in American history. In the midst of the chaos, Hoban alums and relatives stood in harm’s way.

Kevin Griffith, youngest brother of Hoban staff member T.K. Griffith, currently lives in Sarasota, Florida, with his family: wife Layla and children George, 2, and infant Louis. Upon finding out about the upcoming storm, Griffith and his family had to make a fast and difficult decision regarding their plan for safety.

“The storm model shifted from going up the east coast to going up the west coast,” Griffith said. “That’s when we decided to leave.”

The Griffith family made the nine-hour drive up to Tallahassee, a trip that usually takes only five hours. From there, they continued their journey to safety with an extensive 20-hour drive to Austin, Texas, to stay with relatives.

His wife, Layla, a Floridian native, and has endured multiple tropical storms, and many times has stayed put and prepared a “hurricane preparedness kit.” This contains emergency items such as non-perishable food, water, flashlights, and candles. They decided this one was too risky.

They were not the only Knights impacted. Hoban 2007 alum, Billy Clark, was also in the midst of the mayhem. He had no hesitation to flee upon being informed of the immensity of the hurricane.

“My best friend (2007 Hoban graduate Matt Alto) works for Accuweather and gave me the 411 on everything and told me to evacuate,” Clark said. The Florida resident eluded the storm by traveling to Mississippi to stay with a close friend.

Griffith described the eeriness of the “sunshine state” and the dramatic shift in lifestyle. Most gas stations did not have gas and stores were out of stock, an uneasy sight for people who already endured so much.

Clark headed back home this past weekend, wishing to wait as long as possible given power lines in Florida are still unreliable. Griffith, his wife, and two young children lodged with a nearby relative who has electricity, stating that it is working at random throughout cities.

The intensity of the detrimental effects of hurricane Irma are tough to grasp unless they are experienced first hand. Clark felt the burdensome consequences of the disaster upon choosing to leave everything behind.

“You can leave so much behind but your life is much more important than materials,” Clark said. “It really puts it into perspective when you have to choose what to take and what to leave behind.”