Hurricane forces Mass. student to evacuate Florida for second time

TEWKSBURY - A University of Tampa student from Tewksbury has been evacuated from campus twice in a month because of two hurricanes in Florida.

Florida evacuation

Getting back to Massachusetts hasn't been easy or cheap for Maximus Mattuchio this semester. First, Hurricane Helene sent him back to Tewksbury and he's back again, just before Hurricane Milton crashes into Florida.

Milton, which strengthened into a powerful Category 5 storm Tuesday, is set to hit the Tampa area early Thursday morning.  Mattuchio scrambled for a flight out of Tampa but found that the prices were sky-high.

"Every time I tried to book a flight, it would disappear or, you know, I was looking at airports, and he doesn't have a car," his mom, Amanda Mattuchio told WBZ-TV. "It's just absolute terror of just 'I need to get my baby home.'"

Mattuchio finally drove overnight to Orlando and spent 12 hours waiting for a flight to Logan Airport in Boston, sleeping on the airport floor. He says he hopes Tampa and the university he loves will stay strong until he returns.

After Hurricane Helene, Mattuchio returned to Tampa to find extensive flood damage.

"Pray for them"

"Everybody had their lifelong belongings in their front yard , which is something I know Florida is really prioritizing right now," he told WBZ. "Whoever is staying, I just pray for them and I hope the best for them."

In the meantime, some are heading south to Florida - including the 59 workers from the Northeast Public Power Association and personnel from FEMA Region 1, which normally supports New England.