Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, his wife Emily, and their infant daughter were safely evacuated as Hurricane Helene devastated Florida’s Gulf Coast, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
In a heartfelt message shared on social media, Emily Mayfield opened up about the emotional toll the hurricane had taken on her family and their community. “I do not have words to accurately describe my heartbreak for everyone affected by Hurricane Helene,” Emily wrote. “You see this stuff on TV, but until you live through it, you can’t fully grasp the terror associated with the unknowns.”
Emily explained that she, Baker, their daughter Koko, and their dog Fergus made the difficult decision to evacuate their Tampa home as the storm approached. “Baker, Koko, Fergus, and I evacuated yesterday and are safe,” she continued. “Our sweet, sweet community got pummeled, but even that doesn’t compare to the people up North who took this storm head-on. It’s unfathomable.”
The Mayfields were fortunate that their home remained intact, but Emily’s thoughts were with the many others whose lives had been upended by the hurricane. “I’m so thankful to God for protecting us—and our home—and I’m praying nonstop for everyone dealing with the aftermath of the storm, the surge, the damage, the loss. Time to come together and help each other out. I have faith in this community.”
Determined to contribute to the recovery effort, Emily expressed her desire to assist Tampa and the surrounding areas. “I am looking for ways to get out and tangibly help,” she wrote. “Please send me anything you find—and I will share the good ones.”
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While Baker Mayfield and his family managed to escape the worst of the storm, their hearts remained with their community as it began the long road to recovery. Hurricane Helene, which made landfall earlier this week, caused catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast, leaving at least 44 people dead and millions without power.
The storm, with winds strong enough to snap towering oak trees and obliterate homes, continued to wreak havoc as it moved northward through Georgia and the Carolinas.
In Tampa, flooding left some neighborhoods accessible only by boat. Officials urged those trapped by the storm to call for rescue, warning them of the dangers posed by floodwaters, which could be contaminated with sewage, sharp debris, and downed power lines.
As of late Friday, more than 3 million homes and businesses across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas remained without power. The outages even extended as far north as Ohio and Indiana due to Helene’s rapid movement up the East Coast.
Despite the devastation, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to go ahead with their scheduled game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Both teams hold a 2-1 record, and while the game brings a sense of normalcy, the community will no doubt feel the weight of the disaster still unfolding around them.
For the Mayfields and countless others, the priority now is rebuilding and supporting those affected by the storm’s destructive path.
Emily Mayfield’s message of hope and determination reflects the resilience of a community united in the face of tragedy, ready to come together and rebuild.
