Hurricane Milton Brought out the Best in Neighbors

Following Hurricane Milton, there was an outpouring of help with neighbors checking on each other and offering assistance. One great example of this was carried out by members of the Wellington High School's football team.

Although their game had been cancelled, head coach Ross Pryor checked in with his players to see that they were safe from the tornado activity that ripped through Wellington. All seemed to be okay, but one player's friend had a neighbor who needed assistance after a tree crashed through her roof. There had been wreckage both inside and outside, so her home was completely destroyed. 

Coach Pryor and several students went out there to see how they could assist. By the next day, Pryor brought nearly 30 football players who spent several hours dealing with the damage. They moved debris, trees, rocks, trash, and even furniture. Pryor said, "We were trying to salvage any furniture that we could salvage. And it looked good. It was a chance to lets the kids see they have an impact outside of the field, so it was a good experience for them."

Pryor contacted the former Jupiter head coach Timothy Tharp, who runs the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Tharp enlisted a local roofing and fencing company to help out for free as well.

Landon Brodeur, one of the players helping out on Friday, said the tornado just barely missed his house. He waited it out in the bathroom with his sister and their cats listening to the winds outside but remaining safe. His parents crowded into the laundry room with the family's dogs, and they were grateful the tornado missed their home.