Who is Aimee Firestine? Florida business owner's inn reduced to pile of rubble as Hurricane Idalia hits Cedar Key
CEDAR KEY, FLORIDA: Florida resident Aimee Firestine, owner of the Faraway Inn, vividly describes the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia as a Category 3 hurricane made landfall.
The hurricane inflicted substantial damage to small towns along Florida's Big Bend and caused surging water to flood into Charleston, South Carolina.
Upon her return to her hotel, Firestine discovered that some of her pavilions had been destroyed by the powerful storm.
"It's hard to come back and see it all even though you knew it could happen," she told NBC News.
Hurricane Idalia ravages Cedar Key
Hurricane Idalia caused damage or destruction to numerous buildings in Cedar Key, an island in Florida.
The storm surge swept in debris, creating heaps of wreckage on the streets and covering roads with mud.
Water as far as the eye can see! #Idalia Cedar Key, FL pic.twitter.com/7D6rXfMMax
— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) August 30, 2023
The Faraway Inn, a waterfront hotel with colorful cottages, faced severe damage.
Floodwaters leveled one cottage and ripped off a wall from another, while shattered windows and overturned furniture added to the scene of devastation.
Aimee Firestine arrived to witness the damage, including the destruction of a beloved pavilion.
"We just came back an hour ago, and one of our cottages is completely gone; another one's missing a wall," said Firestine.
Hurricane Idalia leaves Faraway Inn in ruins
The Faraway Inn faced a direct and harsh hit from the hurricane.
Cottage No 1, a beloved spot for its waterfront location, now lies in ruins, reduced to rubble. "It was everyone's favorite. You could see the ocean from all angles, so they loved it," Firestine said, Wesh reports.
Firestine is determined to rebuild the waterside resort despite the loss.
"We're all good. Some people lost their homes, so, it's still devastating to us. A lot of rebuilding to do," Firestine said.