NF EXCLUSIVE- On September 26, Hurricane Helene flooded a family's home in Belleair Beach, Florida, located in flood zone A. Despite the risks, they chose to stay, not anticipating the swift and devastating flood surge that engulfed their house within minutes.

By 8:30 p.m., four feet of water had filled the home, forcing the family to escape through a window and seek refuge at a neighbor's elevated house. While the family and their cats are safe, they suffered significant losses, including a beloved 1970s Ford pickup and cherished family mementos.

The family acted quickly, tearing out walls and floors the next day to prevent mold.

My family moved to Florida a year ago and we have been hit with three hurricanes so far. Each one has had a different level of damage on the house, Helene being the worst. We are in flood zone A but ignorantly decided to stay. The flood surge came at 8pm and the house was fully flooded by 8:30pm. We had to climb through a window and across the street to a neighbors house that was built higher. The cats were brought over in carriers and are safe. 4/5 cars are totaled including a 1970’s Ford pickup. My mother and stepdad both lost their boxes they kept their childhood pictures and memories in. As a family on the first day we moved everything out of the house and ripped out the floors and walls to mitigate mold.