People who live in a Palm Bay mobile home park that was badly damaged by a Hurricane Irma-spawned tornado on Sunday are still picking up the pieces.
- People in Palm Bay mobile home park still recovering
- 1 man narrowly escaped tragedy during tornado
- Palm Bay Police patrolling the area for looters
"The roof ripped off, everything demolished," Joyce Daley said.
Daley lost her mobile home when a tornado sliced through her community during Hurricane Irma's winds.
But she nearly lost something far more important, she said.
As she and other people who live in the area huddled for safety in the park's community center, Daley's husband, Mark, went back down the street to their home.
"He heard a loud noise,” Daley said Wednesday as her voice shook. "Luckily, he was near the outside door, hung onto the hinges and the tornado just hit."
If Mark Daley was inside the home when the tornado ripped through the area, it could have been tragic.
"He's very, very lucky," Joyce Daley said, tearing up.
Alan Dunn, 88, has lived in the park since 1960. He has weathered many hurricanes and storms.
"All I saw was stuff flying by," Dunn said, looking out his window.
His car port was ripped to shreds, but he wasn't injured.
It took Palm Bay Police a little time to convince him to leave his damaged home, but he went to join the others at the community center. It's now the home base for the community as they band together.
"You have to take care of your neighbors," Dunn said. "That's all you have in life."
There is concern of possible looting in the mobile home park. Palm Bay Police officers are doing regular patrols until things return to normal.