RICHMOND, Va. -- As Hurricane Ian continues to batter Florida, one Virginian is reminded of how these massive storms played a role in them moving away from the Sunshine State.
You can often find Bud Myers behind a microphone, working on his Richmond internet radio station called The Breeze. As he's working to launch the station over the next week, he can't help but think of the horrors his friends and former neighbors are experiencing because of Ian.
Myers moved to live in the Florida Keys in 2010. That was, until in part, his home was destroyed by Hurricane Irma three years ago. He said the damage was so drastic that he had to redo his house.
He said the experience was enough to make him reconsider living in Florida, a decision he said many residents consider or make after these strong storms.
“It’s tormenting. It’s a wonderful place to live. It’s paradise. Anytime there is a hurricane it wipes out a portion of the populace that can’t rebuild,” Myers said.
Some Floridians chose to stay in their homes despite evacuation orders for parts of the state. Myers said that is often because there is a false sense of Floridians understanding the magnitude of the storms.
He believes there is a different philosophy for those who live in Florida based on the fact they have been through so many.
"They think they can wait until the last minute because they see these things move. They then wait until the last minute and then forget you can't get out," Myers said.
Myers said his friends who are still in Key West are already without power and they are unsure when they will get it back.
