Despite emotional toll, Coloradan keeps traveling to help out American Red Cross after disasters

A volunteer from the American Red Cross Colorado Chapter will be heading to Florida to help with hurricane recovery.

Deb Ryan has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross for five years. She is now on her way to Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on Thursday night.

This will be her fifth deployment. She's previously helped with other hurricane recovery efforts, as well as wildfires.

"It is tough because you really can't quite understand how hard it must be for people to lose everything," Ryan said. "But when people come up to you and hold your hand or give you a hug and just tell you how much they appreciate that you're there, it makes it all worthwhile."

Ryan says she keeps volunteering -- despite the emotional toll -- because it's a way to feel like she's giving back to other people.