"We don't know if the house is there": Minnesotans with ties to Florida face uncertainty as Hurricane Ian leaves damage
MINNEAPOLIS -- Hurricane Ian left behind catastrophic damage in Florida, and beaches in Fort Meyers are caked with piles and piles of debris from the storm.
Parents Frankie and Christine Mannella, along with their daughter Olive, road tripped from Anoka, Minnesota down to Fort Meyers to see what's left of their home.
"We don't know if it's like the house is there, stuff is in it but it's just all ruined, or if the house is completely gone," said Frankie.
The family pulled over in Georgia to talk with WCCO-TV's Marielle Mohs. They watched from Minnesota as Ian destroyed the beach they've spent decades enjoying as a family.
As they wait to assess the damage, they're picking up cleaning supplies along the way to give to their friends and neighbors who lost everything.
"Extra water, waders, gloves, you know, just cleaning supplies. We're just kind of loading up and heading down because we heard the supplies in the area have either been destroyed or are really hard to find," said Christine.
Hurricane Ian damaged cell towers throughout Florida - making it hard for anyone to call out and let their loved ones know they're OK. Verizon said more than 70% of the affected areas in Florida still do not have cellphone service.
Minneapolis native, Harry Moran lives in Fort Myers now. His house was untouched, but he had a hard time telling his daughter in Minnesota he was okay.
Fort Meyers will forever be different after the hurricane, but the Mannella family is thankful they remain unchanged.
"It's in those moments where things get taken from you that you realize like, OK, it could be so much worse," said Christine.
To help with Hurricane Ian relief, you can click here.