Synopsis
Living in the Bahamas, the ocean is a way of life but surviving one of the most powerful hurricanes on record is entirely different. Trapped inside their flooding house, the Pyfrom family must rely on ingenuity, miracles, and each other to survive as the ocean rises. The first-person earnest descriptions of their physical and emotional state as they search desperately for ways to survive are anxiety-driven and poignant.
The Pyfrom family, consisting of Tare and Catherine, their daughter Hazel, and their five dogs, were born and raised in the Bahamas. They are island people, and the ocean was the playground of their childhoods. However, the threat of significant storms was ever-present for six months out of every year. Yet, like most Bahamians, the family weathered it all in stride and lived their lives accordingly.
The repetition of yet another hurricane lent itself to casual, almost robotic preparations as Hurricane Dorian approached. The morning before Hurricane Dorian’s arrival, impending doom did not seem to be on the horizon. However, the Pyfrom family quickly discovered that their preparations were in vain. Storm surge of monumental proportions inundated their home in the early morning hours, stranding them inside their house. Tara and Catherine were forced to make adrenaline-fueled decisions and act quickly to save what they can.
Within a couple of hours, Tara, Catherine, and Hazel are completely cut off, with no escape and no rescue immediately available. As the water level inside the house rises, the fear of drowning outweighs logical thought. Desperate to survive, they decide to go outside in 185 mph wind in the middle of the massive flood. This turn of events leads the family of eight into even more dangerous circumstances. Struggling to stay afloat and keep their young daughter and five animals alive while treading water outside their house, Tara and Catherine soon discover just how close to death they really are.
The family eventually seeks refuge in the attic, fearing the water will trap them there with no way out. There is an ever-pressing fear that the roof separating them from the elements outside will be ripped off at any moment. With little supplies and no drinking water, Tara makes a daring trip back into the flooded house below in a race against time.
What follows is a fearful 24 hours of silent pleas in the darkness of the attic. The Pyfroms must wait to see when and if the storm will pass and if they can survive, not knowing what will be left of their home in the aftermath.
The following day brings the departure of Hurricane Dorian and the gut-wrenching images of damage and loss. Then there is a dangerous water rescue as the storm rages on. Once safe, the family must make decisions and navigate loss, trauma, homelessness, and evacuation.
In the weeks, months, and years following Hurricane Dorian, the family must contend with PTSD and an international move all at the same time. Their relationship with the ocean has been tested and changed, but they live on. Honest, emotional conversations are shared that truly shed light on the recovery of these brave natural disaster and climate change survivors.
