'Everybody pulled together, that’s what anybody should do anywhere’: Seminole Co. bans together to recover from Hurricane Michael

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - After complete devastation from Hurricane Michael, the Seminole County community realized they didn’t need to be rescued, for what they needed was right in front of them — each other.

“Everybody pulled together, that’s what anybody should do anywhere,” Michael Gonzalez, a Seminole County resident, said.

Pulling together is what kept the community strong after the deadly Hurricane Michael swept through the area, exactly one year ago.

Gonzalez recalled the horrifying memories of that night as the storm came through.

“It was terrible. Destruction everywhere. (A) friend of mine opened the door and these big cans, they were just flying in the air, down the street,” said Gonzalez.

The devastation left the entire county powerless.

“You couldn’t even see your hand, whether you were in your house or outside, it didn’t matter,” said Gonzalez.

And when the sun came up, Gonzalez said, “it looked like a chainsaw literally went down the street and uprooted, not just cut them down, completely uprooted giant pecan trees.”

When it seemed like all had failed, Gonzalez said, that’s when the community used the one thing they knew they had — each other.

“That’s what community stands for, people have to pull together and, you know the Father will open your eyes sometimes to things to let you know if you separated too far, he knows how to pull you back together,” he said.

Gonzalez said people held cookouts in their yards to feed their neighbors, while others helped remove trees from homes and businesses

He said it shouldn’t take a storm like Hurricane Michael for people to come together.

“Once you get tapped on the shoulder you’ll pay attention, you’ll pay attention,” Gonzalez added.

Gonzales said he believes the city is still in transition but has learned a great lesson: people still need people.

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