TAMPA, Florida. – One month later Hurricane MiltonThe recovery is far from over for Tampa Bay area families.

To the North Tampa In the area, a woman and her family have been living in a hotel for almost a month. Gwendolyn Torres lived in her Forest Hills home with her three adult children, one of whom was autistic, and four grandchildren, one of whom was also autistic and nonverbal.

Like his neighbors, Torres said they have never experienced major flooding in “Zone X.”

RELATED: Tampa city councilman continues to push for independent investigation into North Tampa flooding after Milton

“We have a one in 500 chance of flooding,” she said. “So it’s never been a problem. We always prepare for wind and limbs and debris.”

Torres said they woke up the morning after Milton and thought they made it through the storm with only a loss of power.

“Everything was fine,” she said. “Forty-five minutes later, the house flooded. The floors came up and we were evacuated by the National Guard.”

Torres and her family were rescued from a window and she said there was four feet of flood water in their home. Since being evacuated, Torres and most of his family have been living in two hotel rooms.

READ: Pasco County man with airboat helps Ridge Manor residents still see flooding after Hurricane Milton

“We live with two drawers and a closet,” Torres said.

She and her autistic adult son live in one room and her other adult son and his family of five live in the other room.

“Everyone has already forgotten,” she says. “Milton, it’s over. They’re done. Everyone moved on with their lives.”

Torres said she lost her car, all of her family’s belongings, furniture and appliances.

MORE: Residents of Polk near Lake Bonny voice concerns at town meeting about flooding from Hurricane Milton

“I don’t think anyone can really understand what that means or how difficult it is,” she said. “When I say everything, I mean everything.”

Although many things are replaceable, there are many possessions and sentimental memories that are not replaceable.

“But my grandmother’s rocking chair, my grandmother’s china cabinet,” Torres said. “My photos of my children. Items from my husband who died in March.”

Torres wakes up every morning to check the status of his FEMA claims, but they are still pending. The only things that have been approved are his temporary housing, which will eventually run out, and an emergency payment of $770.

READ: St. Pete parks damaged, nearly a dozen playgrounds remain closed after hurricanes

“I do everything in my power to defend the interests of my family,” Torres said. “I don’t sit around waiting for someone to fix it for me.”

Torres is grateful to have a roof over her head right now while she tries to undo a lifetime of damage Milton left on her family.

“I’m going to stay here until everyone is taken care of, and then I’ll worry about myself,” she said.

Friday morning, Torres said her son, his fiancée and their three children found out they could move into an apartment. But she said they don’t have any furniture, appliances or essentials right now, so that’s the next step they’ll have to tackle.

MORE: Trucker who received ‘Highway Angel’ award for saving couple from Hurricane Milton floodwaters lands in hospital

Torres said his parents bought the Forest Hills home more than two decades ago so Torres could raise his family there, but now they have to sell it.

“My parents were denied FEMA for the house, because it was their second home, because they bought it for me and my family,” she said.

She hopes she can get some sort of aid from FEMA to at least help cover moving and storage costs while she looks for a new home for her family.

Some Tampa leaders have been push for an investigation into stormwater infrastructure during Miltonespecially in the North Tampa and University areas. The city’s mobility department said the Curiosity Creek pump station lost power Wednesday evening as the storm surged through. Officials said the pump station had a backup generator, but the transfer switch did not activate.

READ: Linemen spent weeks away from home responding to Hélène and Milton

It’s unclear why the switch didn’t turn on, but city officials said it’s possible there was a power surge during the power outage that prevented the switch from turning on. light up.

Mobility officials said the pump was down until midday Friday. They said there are three pump stations located in Forest Hills, Curiosity Creek, East Ridge and Bouganvillea, but the Curiosity Creek station is the only one with a generator.

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