'We have to go': Former Naperville couple flees to Georgia ahead of Hurricane Milton
After fleeing Hurricane Milton, former Naperville couple stays positive about Florida move
A couple from Naperville, now living just south of Tampa, Florida, spent more than ten hours in their car fleeing the dangerous path of Hurricane Milton, described by meteorologists as potentially the "Storm of the Century."
NAPERVILLE, Ill. - A couple from Naperville, now living just south of Tampa, Florida, spent more than ten hours in their car fleeing the dangerous path of Hurricane Milton, described by meteorologists as potentially the "Storm of the Century."
Darryl Betler and his wife, who moved to Apollo Beach a little over a year ago, made the tough decision to evacuate to Savannah, Georgia, as the hurricane approached. Still cleaning up from damage caused by Hurricane Helene just weeks earlier, the Betlers said they couldn't take any more risks.
"You have to pull the trigger at some point in time and say we have to go," Darryl told FOX 32 shortly after arriving in Savannah.
Hurricane Milton is the third major weather event they've faced in three months, following Hurricanes Debby and Helene. Despite the challenges, Darryl said he has no regrets about leaving Naperville's colder winters for Florida's warmer climate.
"You can't think like that on regrets," he said. "You have to literally look at the water coming through our house and say that’s it, we literally have to leave. [My wife] was crying, and she about lost it and says, ‘I’ll take a blizzard over this any day.’"
The Betlers plan to spend a few days in Savannah, hunkering down, trying to relax, and praying for everyone's safety. While they're unsure what they'll return to, they remain committed to their new Florida lifestyle.
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 storm, bringing life-threatening storm surges to Florida's Gulf Coast.