SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — As Hurricane Irma barrels toward Florida, two Mid-Southerners are feeling the effects of its destructive wrath.
Memphian Candice Workman and her friend Kitty Pugh of Southaven were enjoying happier times a few days ago in Puerto Rico but are now stranded on the island.
After hours of the unknown, we were there as Workman’s family in Southaven finally got a chance to speak to her.
Now there’s the threat of Hurricane Jose looming.
“The hurricane is about to hit again so we can’t fly, they’re going to shut down everything, everything is shut down already.”
The family is lucky to talk to Workman.
“I’m relieved, I can at least, you know, quit pacing the floor and stressing,” her mom, Paulette Pinkham told WREG.
Workman says there’s no electricity, but someone helped her out and let her use a portable charger.
You can hear it in her voice; she’s desperate to get out.
“We just need to get to the United States. We need to get away, and I don’t know how.”
She slept on a cot in the middle of the San Juan airport last night.
“There’s trees on our hotel, no electricity, no power, no air, it’s so hot”
Pinkham has been seeing the images of Irma’s power. She feels helpless and worries about what happens next.
“It’s scary because you hear all these different kind of stories about the looters too.”
The mother and daughter are now looking to their strengths and faith to get them through this.
“I know she’s tough and smart,” Pinkham said.
“Everyone has been praying,” Workman said. “We’re just thankful that it did dodge us and it’s not as bad as it was going to be.”
