Caroline Calloway | Source: instagram.com/carolinecalloway
As Hurricane Milton approached Florida with deadly force, one woman's decision to stay behind, despite evacuation orders, captured national attention. Her story became a viral focal point, and what would happen next kept everyone holding their breath.
For days, Hurricane Milton loomed over Florida's Gulf Coast. Hurricane Helene had already battered the state, and many residents were still reeling from the damage. Now, authorities warned that Milton could be even worse. The Tampa Bay area was on high alert, and local officials urged people to evacuate immediately.
Yet, amid the warnings, one controversial social media influencer took a different stance. She shared her decision to stay put in her Sarasota apartment, directly in the storm's path. Her explanation, posted across social media, raised eyebrows, and her followers were left anxiously watching as Hurricane Milton closed in.
The Record-Breaking Storm Surge and Destruction
As Hurricane Milton approached, experts from the FOX Forecast Center warned that the Gulf Coast could face a storm surge of up to 15 feet. Water levels were expected to rise dramatically in areas with onshore winds. This surge was predicted to be one of the worst in over a century, raising alarms throughout the region.
Local officials were especially concerned. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, shaken by the damage Hurricane Helene had caused, issued a grave warning. "This is literally catastrophic," she stated . "If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die." The situation was urgent, and the city braced for a surge that could overwhelm entire neighborhoods.
Streets were filled with debris after Hurricane Helene, as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Although Tampa avoided the catastrophic 15-foot storm surge that had been feared, the city was far from safe. In just a few hours, the area received five months' worth of rainfall, causing widespread flooding. CNN's Brian Todd, reporting from Tampa, described the relentless downpour as "sheets and walls of water," unlike anything he had seen in previous hurricanes.
A damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
He cautioned that the danger wasn't over yet, as downed power lines and deceptively deep floodwaters still posed significant threats. Drivers were particularly vulnerable to hidden hazards, with some roads turning into ponds deep enough to trap and drown vehicles. At one point, the storm even pushed the water out of Tampa Bay, leaving it dry like a riverbed.
Hurricane Milton blew the roof off of Tropicana Field in Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
A damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
However, officials warned that by morning, the water would surge back in — and once daylight broke, the full extent of the flooding would become clearer. While Tampa narrowly escaped the worst, other parts of Florida's Gulf Coast suffered heavy losses. Hurricane Milton's powerful winds and unrelenting rain left entire neighborhoods underwater.
A street remains submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Treasure Island, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
As of October 11, officials confirmed at least 16 deaths caused by the storm. In many areas, downed trees and power outages left communities stranded, with flooded streets making rescue efforts even more difficult.
A flooded street with debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Siesta Key, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
A Social Media Influencer's Decision to Stay Put
Before Hurricane Milton bore down on Florida's Gulf Coast, most residents heeded the evacuation warnings, leaving their homes for safer ground. However, 32-year-old author and influencer Caroline Calloway made a decision that concerned her fans and followers.
Living in Sarasota, one of the high-risk areas directly in the storm's path, she chose not to evacuate , ignoring mandatory orders urging residents to leave. On October 8, just days before the storm was set to make landfall, Calloway took to her Instagram Stories to share her choice, stating bluntly, "So if you've been following Hurricane Milton, um, I'm going to die."
Calloway explained her reasons for staying in the video she posted. First, she revealed that she couldn't drive, which left her with no easy way to evacuate. Additionally, local airports were closed, further limiting her options. But beyond these logistical issues, Calloway cited trauma from a previous hurricane evacuation.
During Hurricane Ian , she fled to her mother's house in Northport, only to be evacuated by the U.S. military after three days without power, food, or running water. The experience had been deeply unsettling, and she didn't want to go through it again.
"I don't want to evacuate to my mom's house because the last time I did that it was the worst time ever," she shared with her followers. Despite living on the waterfront in Sarasota, Calloway believed her apartment was safe enough to weather the storm.
She explained that her home was on the third floor of a building equipped with hurricane-grade windows and three-foot-thick concrete walls. She added that even the highest predicted storm surges wouldn't likely reach her. "The building's never flooded before," she reassured her audience, trying to ease concerns about her safety.
Caroline Calloway, from a post dated February 9, 2024 | Source: instagram.com/carolinecalloway
Calloway's decision to stay, however, wasn't just about surviving the storm — it was also about creating content. Known for her controversial online presence, Calloway continued to engage her followers by promoting her latest book, even as the hurricane approached.
When asked if she was using the hurricane as an opportunity to promote her work, she didn't deny it. "Listen, they're not entirely wrong," she admitted . "I am promoting my book right now." She even joked that her commitment to staying might lead some to believe that she would "die for it," though she assured followers that wasn't the case.
In addition to these explanations, Calloway expressed a desire to help her elderly neighbors, who had also chosen to stay behind. "There are a few more sort of able-bodied young people who are staying to help, but I'm definitely the youngest and the most able-bodied among them," she said .
For her, staying meant being available in case they needed assistance during or after the storm. But despite these explanations, Calloway’s decision sparked debate online. As the hurricane drew closer, her followers anxiously awaited updates.
The Night of the Hurricane and the 12-Hour Silence
As Hurricane Milton made landfall and unleashed its full force, Calloway remained holed up in her Sarasota apartment, updating her followers sporadically as the storm raged outside. In one post, she shared the view from her window, capturing the darkened skies and fierce winds sweeping through the area.
With her cat by her side and her bathtub filled with backup water, she appeared calm, even as the storm intensified. But then, as the hurricane's strongest winds and rain swept through Sarasota, Calloway suddenly went silent online.
For 12 hours, her social media accounts remained dormant, sparking growing concern among her fans and followers. Messages of worry flooded platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with many wondering if she had made it through the worst of the storm.
"Ok, is Caroline Calloway okay?" one user posted . "Taking a break from work every 30 minutes to see if Caroline Calloway posted," another echoed the anxiety felt by many. The silence left followers in suspense, fearing the worst, as Milton's relentless rain and wind battered the area.
A resident of Sarasota, Florida cleans the front of his mobile home after Hurricane Milton's landfall on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
With downed power lines, rising floodwaters, and widespread destruction throughout Sarasota, the fate of Calloway and her neighbors became a focal point for those watching the storm unfold. Finally, after 12 tense hours, Calloway broke her silence with a simple selfie beside her pet cat, confirming her survival.
"I lived," she stated simply, relieving her anxious audience. But while her outcome was fortunate, the reality is that for many others, remaining behind in an evacuation zone can have tragic consequences. Officials confirmed that at least 16 people had died as a result of Hurricane Milton, a stark reminder of the storm's deadly potential.
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