Microbiologist Ashley Hamn said she and her wife Sydney heeded the warnings about Hurricane Harvey and managed to get a flight back home to Florida on Friday afternoon.
Hamn spoke to Action News Jax by phone from Orlando on Monday night.
“The reason that we left is because the area of town where we are, which is in downtown Houston, close to I-10 and Interstate 45, is prone to flooding. So we felt like we were more at risk for power loss and rising water,” Hamn said.
The couple relocated to Houston three years ago so Hamn's father-in-law could get treatment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He stayed behind to continue his care. Hamn's mother-in-law works for Shell and had to work as a first responder for its oil rigs. Hamn said both are safe, but she’s not sure when they will be reunited.
“It’s kind of pulling at heartstrings with the fact that we evacuated thinking we could return and be able to assist our family and now it’s looking like that’s going to be extended,” Hamn said.
That’s because Houston is getting more rain on top of the catastrophic flooding it’s already seen. While the couple waits for word on when they can fly back home to Texas, they are comforted by family and friends in Florida.
“The director of the Health Disparities Center (at Hamn's alma mater Edward Waters College), Dr. Brian Seymour, he reached out to me via email today. I used to be employed at St. Vincent’s Medical Center and some people from their Microbiology Department reached out to me today as well, so all of those things are really heartfelt and great resources for us to have right now,” Hamn said.
The couple, who are active in community service, started a GoFundMe page to collect money for food, transportation and emergency shelter. Hamn said they plan to use whatever they receive to help make their city and the people who call it home whole again.
“I want people to know that we’re survivors and we’re not victims. And with every shred of support you give to us, we are going back with our hearts in our hands to help the city of Houston,” Hamn said.
If you'd like to help, you can find Hamn's GoFundMe page here.
Cox Media Group
