TAMPA, Fla — A new book is being launched by a collection of Tampa Bay authors who have overcome adversity, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton. These authors hope to inspire anyone trying to get back on their feet, no matter the circumstances.
As Michelle Jewsbury walked into what remained of her Davis Islands living room, she struggled to hold back the tears.
“So this is the first time I’m seeing my apartment since the storm,” said Jewsbury. “I can not believe that water can do this much damage.”
All of Jewsbury's belongings had to be thrown out and she certainly isn’t alone.
“Absolutely devastating, with furniture and garbage on the street corners in front of everybody’s apartment, in front of everybody’s house,” she said. “I cried a lot, just like I’m sure a lot of people in the Tampa Bay Area have been doing.”
However, Jewsbury knows she’ll be okay; after all, she is a survivor of domestic violence; these storms happened just a few weeks before the launch of her new book, "Breaking the Silence: Volume 2."
She believes the book can inspire people who are feeling down right now because of the destruction caused by these hurricanes.
“Because then you don’t feel like you are alone, and that’s where a lot of people are feeling these days just trapped in their circumstances and they feel so alone,” said Jewsbury.
The book includes stories from 21 different authors, many from Tampa Bay, about overcoming their own adversities. Topics range from domestic violence to suicide to sexual assault.
Many of these authors, like Jewsbury, also experienced damage during the hurricanes.
“It was almost like everything was being torn off the house, and to get up the next morning, and my fence is down, my trees have uprooted,” said author and survivor Leah Hallman.
“The pool was a mess, the backyard was a mess, we still have wires down. I’m not even sure what kind of wires they are,” said author and survivor Barry Rothstein.
“Me and my husband experienced a lot of damage from our trucking business,” author and survivor Tierra Carter said. “It's hard, but with all the tragedies and traumas that I’ve been through, there is a way out.”
Walking around Davis Islands, these survivors understand they’ve overcome worse, but for some of their neighbors, these storms will be the most challenging events of their lives.
“By sharing our story and showing people they aren’t alone, we are making it better. We are showing them hope,” said author and survivor Beverly Hatfield.
Jewsbury may have lost her entire apartment, but that doesn’t stop her from celebrating all the good things in life.
They will hold a book launch party in downtown Tampa on Oct. 24. For more information, go to this link.
“I’m going to be able to move back in and it’s going to be okay, just like life,” said Jewsbury.
"I've had enough."
Since Hurricanes Helene and Milton, dozens of homes have hit the Tampa Bay market. Homeowners are selling 'AS IS' and 'CASH ONLY' for investors, ready and willing to walk away after being flooded in the storms.
