For days, Hurricane Milton loomed over Florida’s Gulf Coast. Hurricane Helene had already battered the state, and many residents were still reeling from the damage. Now, authorities warned that Milton could be even worse. The Tampa Bay area was on high alert, and local officials urged people to evacuate immediately.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Yet, amid the warnings, one controversial social media influencer took a different stance. She shared her decision to stay put in her Sarasota apartment, directly in the storm’s path. Her explanation, posted across social media, raised eyebrows, and her followers were left anxiously watching as Hurricane Milton closed in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The Record-Breaking Storm Surge and Destruction<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nAs\u00a0Hurricane Milton<\/a>\u00a0approached, experts from the FOX Forecast Center warned that the Gulf Coast could face a storm surge of up to 15 feet. Water levels were expected to rise dramatically in areas with onshore winds. This\u00a0surge was predicted<\/a> to be one of the worst in over a century, raising alarms throughout the region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nLocal officials were especially concerned. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, shaken by the damage\u00a0Hurricane Helene<\/a>\u00a0had caused, issued a grave warning. “This is literally catastrophic,” she\u00a0stated<\/a>. “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.” The situation was urgent, and the city\u00a0braced for a surge<\/a> that could overwhelm entire neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nStreets were filled with debris after Hurricane Helene, as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAlthough Tampa avoided the catastrophic 15-foot storm surge that had been feared, the city was far from safe. In just a few hours, the area received five months’ worth of rainfall, causing widespread flooding. CNN’s Brian Todd, reporting from Tampa,\u00a0described<\/a> the relentless downpour as “sheets and walls of water,” unlike anything he had seen in previous hurricanes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/cdn.amomama.com\/3fb2e15a6ab82870326bb041e63ff9058fc0b6ed19320b31d0ecd9da2cafe650.jpg\")
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nA damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty ImageHe cautioned that the danger wasn’t over yet, as downed power lines and deceptively deep floodwaters still posed significant threats. Drivers were particularly vulnerable to hidden hazards, with some roads turning into ponds deep enough to trap and drown vehicles. At one point, the storm even pushed the water out of Tampa Bay, leaving it dry like a riverbed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nHurricane Milton blew the roof off of Tropicana Field in Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nA damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nHowever, officials warned that by morning, the water would surge back in \u2014 and once daylight broke, the full extent of the flooding would become clearer. While Tampa narrowly escaped the worst, other parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast suffered heavy losses. Hurricane Milton’s powerful winds and unrelenting rain left entire neighborhoods underwater.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\nA street remains submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Treasure Island, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nAs of October 11, officials confirmed at least\u00a016 deaths<\/a> caused by the storm. In many areas, downed trees and power outages left communities stranded, with flooded streets making rescue efforts even more difficult.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nA flooded street with debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Siesta Key, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nA Social Media Influencer’s Decision to Stay Put<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\nBefore Hurricane Milton bore down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, most residents heeded the evacuation warnings, leaving their homes for safer ground. However, 32-year-old author and influencer Caroline Calloway made a decision that concerned her fans and followers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nLiving in Sarasota, one of the high-risk areas directly in the storm’s path, she\u00a0chose not to evacuate<\/a>, ignoring mandatory orders urging residents to leave. On October 8, just days before the storm was set to make landfall, Calloway took to her Instagram Stories to share her choice,\u00a0stating<\/a> bluntly, “So if you’ve been following Hurricane Milton, um, I’m going to die.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nCalloway\u00a0explained her reasons<\/a>\u00a0for staying in the video she posted. First, she revealed that she couldn’t drive, which left her with no easy way to evacuate. Additionally, local airports were closed, further limiting her options. But beyond these logistical issues, Calloway cited trauma from a previous hurricane evacuation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nDuring\u00a0Hurricane Ian<\/a>, she fled to her mother’s house in Northport, only to be evacuated by the U.S. military after three days without power, food, or running water. The experience had been deeply unsettling, and she didn’t want to go through it again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n“I don’t want to evacuate to my mom’s house because the last time I did that it was the worst time ever,” she\u00a0shared<\/a>\u00a0with her followers. Despite living on the waterfront in Sarasota, Calloway believed her apartment was safe enough to weather the storm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\nShe explained that her home was on the third floor of a building equipped with hurricane-grade windows and three-foot-thick concrete walls. She added that even the highest predicted storm surges wouldn’t likely reach her. “The building’s never flooded before,” she\u00a0reassured<\/a> her audience, trying to ease concerns about her safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\nCaroline Calloway, from a post dated February 9, 2024 | Source: instagram.com\/carolinecalloway<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\nCalloway’s decision to stay, however, wasn’t just about surviving the storm \u2014 it was also about creating content. Known for her controversial online presence, Calloway continued to engage her followers by promoting her latest book, even as the hurricane approached.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nWhen asked if she was using the hurricane as an opportunity to promote her work, she didn’t deny it. “Listen, they’re not entirely wrong,” she\u00a0admitted<\/a>. “I am promoting my book right now.” She even joked that her commitment to staying might lead some to believe that she would “die for it,” though she assured followers that wasn’t the case.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
As\u00a0Hurricane Milton<\/a>\u00a0approached, experts from the FOX Forecast Center warned that the Gulf Coast could face a storm surge of up to 15 feet. Water levels were expected to rise dramatically in areas with onshore winds. This\u00a0surge was predicted<\/a> to be one of the worst in over a century, raising alarms throughout the region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Local officials were especially concerned. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, shaken by the damage\u00a0Hurricane Helene<\/a>\u00a0had caused, issued a grave warning. “This is literally catastrophic,” she\u00a0stated<\/a>. “If you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you are going to die.” The situation was urgent, and the city\u00a0braced for a surge<\/a> that could overwhelm entire neighborhoods.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Streets were filled with debris after Hurricane Helene, as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Although Tampa avoided the catastrophic 15-foot storm surge that had been feared, the city was far from safe. In just a few hours, the area received five months’ worth of rainfall, causing widespread flooding. CNN’s Brian Todd, reporting from Tampa,\u00a0described<\/a> the relentless downpour as “sheets and walls of water,” unlike anything he had seen in previous hurricanes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty ImageHe cautioned that the danger wasn’t over yet, as downed power lines and deceptively deep floodwaters still posed significant threats. Drivers were particularly vulnerable to hidden hazards, with some roads turning into ponds deep enough to trap and drown vehicles. At one point, the storm even pushed the water out of Tampa Bay, leaving it dry like a riverbed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Hurricane Milton blew the roof off of Tropicana Field in Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A damaged mobile home park after Hurricane Milton as seen on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n However, officials warned that by morning, the water would surge back in \u2014 and once daylight broke, the full extent of the flooding would become clearer. While Tampa narrowly escaped the worst, other parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast suffered heavy losses. Hurricane Milton’s powerful winds and unrelenting rain left entire neighborhoods underwater.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A street remains submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Treasure Island, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n As of October 11, officials confirmed at least\u00a016 deaths<\/a> caused by the storm. In many areas, downed trees and power outages left communities stranded, with flooded streets making rescue efforts even more difficult.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A flooded street with debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, in Siesta Key, Florida, on October 10, 2024 | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Before Hurricane Milton bore down on Florida’s Gulf Coast, most residents heeded the evacuation warnings, leaving their homes for safer ground. However, 32-year-old author and influencer Caroline Calloway made a decision that concerned her fans and followers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Living in Sarasota, one of the high-risk areas directly in the storm’s path, she\u00a0chose not to evacuate<\/a>, ignoring mandatory orders urging residents to leave. On October 8, just days before the storm was set to make landfall, Calloway took to her Instagram Stories to share her choice,\u00a0stating<\/a> bluntly, “So if you’ve been following Hurricane Milton, um, I’m going to die.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Calloway\u00a0explained her reasons<\/a>\u00a0for staying in the video she posted. First, she revealed that she couldn’t drive, which left her with no easy way to evacuate. Additionally, local airports were closed, further limiting her options. But beyond these logistical issues, Calloway cited trauma from a previous hurricane evacuation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n During\u00a0Hurricane Ian<\/a>, she fled to her mother’s house in Northport, only to be evacuated by the U.S. military after three days without power, food, or running water. The experience had been deeply unsettling, and she didn’t want to go through it again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n “I don’t want to evacuate to my mom’s house because the last time I did that it was the worst time ever,” she\u00a0shared<\/a>\u00a0with her followers. Despite living on the waterfront in Sarasota, Calloway believed her apartment was safe enough to weather the storm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n She explained that her home was on the third floor of a building equipped with hurricane-grade windows and three-foot-thick concrete walls. She added that even the highest predicted storm surges wouldn’t likely reach her. “The building’s never flooded before,” she\u00a0reassured<\/a> her audience, trying to ease concerns about her safety.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Caroline Calloway, from a post dated February 9, 2024 | Source: instagram.com\/carolinecalloway<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Calloway’s decision to stay, however, wasn’t just about surviving the storm \u2014 it was also about creating content. Known for her controversial online presence, Calloway continued to engage her followers by promoting her latest book, even as the hurricane approached.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When asked if she was using the hurricane as an opportunity to promote her work, she didn’t deny it. “Listen, they’re not entirely wrong,” she\u00a0admitted<\/a>. “I am promoting my book right now.” She even joked that her commitment to staying might lead some to believe that she would “die for it,” though she assured followers that wasn’t the case.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/imgproxy.amomama.com\/fizdbMrDQn7avBrO4MDtnvxajzoxpG0WZ0B6-OinnNY\/rs:fill:375:0:1\/g:no\/aHR0cHM6Ly9jZG4uYW1vbWFtYS5jb20vM2ZiMmUxNWE2YWI4Mjg3MDMyNmJiMDQxZTYzZmY5MDU4ZmMwYjZlZDE5MzIwYjMxZDBlY2Q5ZGEyY2FmZTY1MC5qcGc_d2lkdGg9NTAwMCZoZWlnaHQ9MzMzMw.jpg)
<\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\nA Social Media Influencer’s Decision to Stay Put<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n