'Beyond worried': Chicago residents connect with family, friends hit by Hurricane Ian
CHICAGO (CBS) -- For some in the path of Hurricane Ian, they're still waiting for answers.
For example, is their home still standing?
Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday and tore through the state leaving a path of flooding and destruction behind. Millions were evacuated. The Internet and power has also been out. One Chicago area mom couldn't get a hold of her daughter for two days.
CBS 2's Marissa Perlman has her story.
One Aurora mom whose daughter is living in Sarasota, about 40 miles north of Fort Myers where Hurricane Ian made landfall. For days, cell phone service was out and there was no way to communicate. Last night, the storm blew straight towards her daughter's community.
"I literally cried when I heard her voice. I just was beyond worried."
Early Thursday morning, Sandy Hill, from her Aurora home was finally able to get in touch with her daughter Jaimie Robley.
"She had no electricity for days," Hill said.
Robley was evacuated from her Sarasota apartment building days ago and stayed with a friend until the storm tore through town. But she had no way to get in touch.
"She came back to her apartment building today to find half of the roof gone, siding torn off and concrete blocks floating in the pool," Hill said. "The grocery markets are destroyed completely. She said 'mom, it's unbelievable carnage.'"
Some of the strongest winds hit Punta Gorda directly north of Ft. Myers. It's where Brendan Burke, who splits his time between Chicago and Florida, has a home.
"We feel very lucky," Burke said.
One of Burke's close friends stayed behind and checked on his property. His house is still standing.
"I have a sailboat that's on the dock. He said I don't know, but your sailboat's just gone," Burke said.
He later found it, a few hundred yards down the canal, lodged up against another boat. He said the personal tragedies are just now becoming clear: Several of his neighbors lost their homes.
Burke is driving back to his Punta Gorda home on Saturday, but he said he's anticipating a long trip dodging debris. Electricity is still out and could be for several days.