As Hurricane Milton approached, Robert Haight and his family hunkered down in their Fort Myers home along Orangewood Avenue just off Colonial Boulevard, only to be caught off guard by a tornado.
“I looked out the window and saw a swirling funnel,” Robert said. He tells NBC2 when he saw a truck spin around in the wind, he knew they were in trouble. He quickly shouted to his family to take cover, grabbing his daughter and wife and racing to the nearest room. “By the time I took ten steps, the roof was gone," Robert described.
The tornado ripped through their home, pulling down debris and electrical lines and leaving destruction behind.
Neighbor Lacie Terrell witnessed the chaos and rushed to help. “I heard a pregnant woman screaming—it was a sound I’ll never forget,” she recalled. “When I got inside, it was pure devastation; their entire house was flooded.”
The Haight family had just completed renovations after Hurricane Ian and were finally getting back on their feet. “We just got our lives back together, and now it’s all in pieces again,” Robert tells NBC2.
Despite the challenges, Robert is determined to rebuild. “This has been our home for generations. I can do it again. All it takes is hard work and determination,” he stated.
Fortunately, Robert's father, who was hospitalized, is now recovering. Meanwhile, the family is staying in a hotel as they navigate the aftermath. The resilience of the Haight family, along with community support, highlights their commitment to rebuilding their lives.