‘It was bad’: Ruskin residents shocked at how quickly storm surge waters filled homes

RUSKIN, Fla. (WFLA) — People who live along the Little Manatee River near US 41 woke up shocked at how quickly the storm surge rushed into their homes overnight from Hurricane Helene.

“It was bad. It was an experience I had never been through,” said Jason Thompson, who lives in Ruskin.

Thompson and his family tried to ride out the storm in their home but watched as the water started rapidly encroaching on their home.

“I was actually watching it come up on my boots, it was coming in so fast. It was like somebody taking a bucket of water and pouring it out,” Thompson said.

Several feet of water entered their home.

Now, the family is drying it out with fans and their belongings are sprawled out on their front yard as reality sets in.

“How does it feel looking at all this?” News Channel 8 reporter Staci DaSilva said.

“Sad. Sad,” Thompson said.

“That’s the water line going across the house there,” said Tom McGuire, who lives on US 41, while pointing at a watermark several feet up his home. “I come out, I see the water rising. Went in, moved two chairs off the porch. Before I got the two chairs in, woosh, it was here.”

McGuire also watched in awe as storm surge from the bay, through the Little Manatee River, filled the first floor of his home.

He’s lived in his home for 26 years and has lived through many hurricanes.

“No comparison. It’s been horrifying,” McGuire said.

On Friday, Courtney and Gracie Daniels, whose home was not damaged by Hurricane Helene, picked up debris along US 41.

“We came out this morning. We saw all of this and thought, nobody else is going to do it so we’re out here just doing it trying to cleanup, just trying to do what we can to help out,” Courtney Daniels said.

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