Residents in El Jobean are bracing for more rain starting Sunday after Hurricane Helene damaged homes in the area with devastating storm surge.
For local resident Mark Abernathy, the storm was the toughest his home had ever faced, surpassing Hurricane Ian's damage.
Abernathy built his home along Hollis Avenue called the "swamp shack" in 2008. In the face of a Category 4 hurricane, even this labor of love couldn’t stand up to the floodwaters.
“The waterline came up to here,” Abernathy said, pointing to the waterline on his door several feet off the ground. "Everything is a mess. I mean, normally, it's very nice and organized."
His home was overwhelmed by the storm surge, leaving behind a wake of destruction. Nearly everything in Abernathy’s home was affected. Stereos, sofas, and even his boat were displaced by the powerful surge.
“The big tragedy is the books,” he said. “I lost all my encyclopedias, antique books.”
Abernathy is working tirelessly since the storm hit to clean up the mess, but he is not alone in his efforts.
His neighbors, Roy Marques and his girlfriend, Crystal Almonte, were also impacted by the storm. Storm surge ruined most of their garden.
"I would definitely say it was our most scariest hurricane that we've had yet, because we never had the water surge," Marques said.
While their property was spared the worst of the flooding, the couple is keeping an eye on the forecast, which predicts more rain this weekend.
“In terms of the flooding, 12, 13, 15 inches, we can make do,” Marques said.
Despite the devastation, Abernathy is remaining hopeful as he continues to clean up the damage.
“You can't live the salt life without expecting a little salt water occasionally," he said. “Don’t despair. It’s only stuff. What’s most important is your lives and your loved ones. Like Jimmy Buffett said, if it doesn’t kill you, it’ll make you stronger.”