Michael Ward — who has lived on Treasure Island, off Florida’s Gulf coast, for 33 years — decided to ride out Hurricane Helene despite an order to evacuate. It was a decision he quickly regretted.
Instead of going with his wife to a friend’s home inland, the 67-year-old Ward stayed put. As torrential rains led to flooding, he feared he would be electrocuted in his one-story home, but the storm surge prevented him from even opening his door.
Ultimately, he climbed out of a window to escape. Waist-deep in murky water, he walked about half a mile to a neighbor’s two-story home, where he spent the night…