A Florida family documented a frightening night riding out a hurricane, sharing TikTok updates as strong winds battered their home, the power went out, and they feared their roof was being damaged. The videos captured their experience from the initial loss of power to the following morning, when they began assessing the damage and expressed relief that everyone had survived.
The videos were shared on the TikTok account mwdrex_and_rider, where the series attracted more than one million views and drew concerned comments from viewers following the family’s updates.
In their first update, recorded around 8 p.m., the family said conditions had been relatively calm until approximately 7 p.m. By the time they filmed the video, their home had lost power, and they suspected trees were hitting the house. They had boarded up their windows and were sheltering inside as the hurricane continued.
By 6 a.m., the Florida family described a frightening stretch of the night. For about two hours, they had heard objects flying around and striking their home. They suspected shingles were being torn from the roof, although they could not confirm the extent of the damage while the storm was still passing.
The family had kept their house boarded up until around 10 p.m. Once the winds eased, they removed the boarding from a door panel to let their dogs outside. They reported property damage but said they could not yet determine how extensive it was.
In a later update, the family said they had spent the morning assessing the aftermath. They managed to get their generator running and made coffee while watching College GameDay. Despite the stressful night, they took a more relaxed approach to the recovery, acknowledging that the damage would still be there the next day.
Florida Family Faces Criticism Over Storm Precautions
Reactions to the videos were mixed, with many viewers expressing concern for the Florida family’s safety and others criticizing their precautions or questioning the severity of the storm.
One commenter offered advice about filing an insurance claim during a storm, writing, “My advice: Once you think you have damage, call your insurance company and make a claim. I always do it in the middle of a storm. That way, you’re at the top of the list for an adjuster to come out so you can get your repairs done first. Works every time for me. During Hurricane Ida, I had an adjuster out within 30 hours after the storm passed and had a new roof in six days.”
Others shared their own frightening hurricane experiences, including one person who described a family member caught between rising floodwaters and the threat of a tornado. Several viewers said enduring hurricanes at night was especially stressful because darkness made it harder to see what was happening outside.
Many commenters offered prayers and encouragement, praised the family for boarding up their windows, and returned to the account to check whether everyone was safe. Others criticized the family for standing near a glass door, while another viewer pointed out that plywood had been installed to protect it.
The discussion also turned to housing construction, with some viewers arguing that solid brick houses offered better protection. Others downplayed the apparent damage.
Despite the debate over their precautions and the extent of the damage, the Florida family’s updates showed how unsettling the night had been, especially when they could hear debris hitting their home without knowing what was happening outside.
