CONFESSIONS OF A STORM WIDOW!!!

By Lynda Frechette

Irma was coming to Florida and predictions were that it was headed directly to Key West as a Category 5 Hurricane! Bob decided he better get to Key West before it landed, to secure our home. He arrived on Sept 5 and during the next few days he, with the help of several good Samaratins, totally ‘battened down the hatches.” Now what? It was really not a good idea to leave the Keys at that point…so he thought he would simply stay in our home during the storm and ride it out as we both did during Wilma. Thankfully, at the last, he opted to move to Harbour Place, a condo in the Annex which was built to withstand a Cat. 5 storm. He was with several really great friends. Although I was feeling better about this decision, I was still a wreck. This monster storm was approaching ready to tear this Island we love to shreds. Who knows how Bob and Co. would fare? Would we have a house left? A town? Everything on the news was gloom and doom.

Irma was to make land fall on Sunday, Sept.10. The last message I had from Bob was at 7 am that morning. He said there was wind and no water to speak of, but it wasn’t supposed to make land fall until later. We, far away from Key West, sat in our homes glued to the TV hoping that our loved ones would be safe and that our homes would still be standing afterward. The silence from Bob was deafening. Why wasn’t he calling me to let me know he was okay? Of course my imagination played havoc on me as I thought the worst. If he were okay, he would have called, right? I was getting physically, emotionally and mentally sick…..worried and crying….it was awful. Of course I didn’t know that all power was lost almost immediately, including the towers that allow cell phone usage. In the midst of this trauma, I got a call from Cindy Carlson who somehow was able to make a landline call to one of the persons staying with Bob at Harbour Place. The news was that the storm had passed and had moved on and that Bob and everyone with him were safe. Also, that our homes in our area were all in tact….no water surge….lots of wind damage and debris, burnt foliage, and felled trees everywhere. Unfortunately, that landline ceased operating. Still hadn’t talked with Bob. I needed to hear from HIM that he was alright. So the waiting and wondering went on and on and on.

I tried calling various places in KW hoping that they would have a land line and answer. Thankfully, I dialed The Butterfly Conservatory and after but a few rings, George Fernandez answered. He was upbeat and positive and made mention of the candles at the Grotto at St. Mary’s were they were all lit.   He believed that the shrine kept Key West safe. That was good to hear. He assured me that Irma did not destroy our Island….that the damage was minimal and there was no water surge to speak of. He said he would go to our home and see if Bob was there and try to get back to me that evening. I waited and waited, but he never called. I was a basket case, imagining the worst. In the meantime the TV news painted a very bleak picture of what had happened in Key West and the Keys.

I went to sleep in tears, and on Sept. 11, I woke up, looked in the mirror and saw a sad fearful face staring back at me. My phone rang at noon and it was Bob!!!! OMG! In my whole life I was never happier to hear anyone’s voice! I liken the experience to those old war movies from the 40’s…tearjerkers where the husband has gone off to war with no communication for a long time…and then there is that yearned for phone call from your love to say “I love you! I am fine!” Of course tears of joy flowed! He had only been gone 6 days but it seemed like an eternity. It was a relief to hear directly from him that he indeed was safe….and that our home withstood the storm….no water surge damage…no water in our house…..but loads of foliage and tree damage…debris everywhere! Because of the lack of power, communication would be sparse indefinitely. I was able to talk with Bob one time each day until Wed., Sept. 13, my last conversation with him. Because people were waiting in line to use this phone after him his message was brief. He said the yard was cleaned up as much as possible, the freezer and fridge were emptied. No one knew exactly when the power would return or the phones would start working. No AC….and no gas to get generators working again. He had decided to hitch a ride to Miami with Megan and Michael Behmke on Thursday, March 14 and try to get a flight back to Ohio. And, my dear friends, I just spoke to him and he will be on a 9:40 flight back to Rose Cottage in Chippewa Lake, Ohio!

It has been a grueling ten days….but having Bob back here with me, safe and sound will be wonderful! It will be like a heavy burden will be lifted off my shoulders!

One more bit of information……Those Candles in the Grotto were all still burning after the storm moved past Key West! Amen and Hallelujah!!!

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