Jennifer N Fenwick

In the Aftermath of the Storm Jennifer N Fenwick

There have only been four. Only four recorded Atlantic storms have maintained category five strength as they barreled inland to overwhelm the Eastern and Gulf Coasts of the U. S. The most recent category 5 hurricane to devastate this region was Hurricane Michael. Michael made landfall in the early afternoon hours of October 10, 2018, in the Florida Panhandle. With maximum sustained winds of 161 mph, Michael's eye came ashore near the tiny coastal community of Mexico Beach, FL, nearly eradicating its existence from the landscape. When we emerged from the shelters we had hurriedly taken, we were greeted with an eerie silence that left us with overpowering shock and grief. Over the course of the next days, weeks, and months, stories began to emerge. Stories that broke our hearts while at the same time, inspiring and strengthening our resolve and determination. There are so many stories. As Tony Simmons, a writer for the News Herald wrote a few weeks after the storm, "We all became storytellers that day."In the Aftermath of the Storm: Stories of Hope and Healing, is a collection of stories, poetry, and images created as we've moved through the phases of recovery. From heartbreak and grief to hope and rebuilding, these are our words. Each story, poem, and image included comes from the heart of the people who survived and who are continuing to live in the aftermath. Like its predecessor, In the Eye of the Storm: Stories of Survival and Hope from the Florida Panhandle, all proceeds from book sales go directly to the Hurricane Michael Relief Fund to help those struggling in the aftermath and to assist with rebuilding communities and lives. #850strong