WATCH BELOW - The Day the Sky Turned: One Year Later
A year after Hurricane Milton unleashed devastating tornadoes across Florida, survivors from Spanish Lakes Country Club gathered to honor the six neighbors they lost in the storm's deadliest strike.
On Oct. 9, 2024, Milton spawned 126 tornado warnings and touched down 46 times across the region.
The area hardest hit by tornadoes was the Spanish Lakes Country Club community near Fort Pierce, where an EF3 tornado claimed six lives and destroyed dozens of homes.
Under gray skies and relentless rain, residents filed into the recreation center Thursday for a private memorial service, away from cameras and distractions.
"This is just a reflection of how much these folks mean to us all," Martha Fleming told WPTV reporter Kate Hussey.
WATCH BELOW — 1 Year Later: Community honors 6 lives lost in EF3 tornado
The tornado brought tremendous destruction to the tight-knit community. Fleming described the moment it struck her home.
"The tornado came right over our house — tremendous explosion," Fleming said. "The hard part was looking out the front yard — the front door — and watching them take pieces of our friends' homes and putting them in the dumpster and driving away."
Bill Maginn witnessed the aftermath firsthand the next morning.
"Driving down one street the next morning and literally seeing them carrying a body out of a home is what I saw," Maginn said. "Obviously, there's a loss there in those six people. You can't replace that."
Rosie Quaranta escaped her home just 15 minutes before the tornado flattened it completely.
"I got out of there 15 minutes — 15 minutes," Quaranta said. "It was tough. You hear about these people who died, but … I lived."
The memorial brought both pain and healing for survivors still grappling with trauma from that day.
"This was a little tough for me. That was the day I don't really want to remember," Quaranta said.
Though WPTV stayed outside to respect their privacy, residents shared photos of a plaque honoring the six victims and videos of speakers reflecting on the community’s loss — and its resilience in the aftermath.
"Some of us didn't want to come today, I understand that. I think it's a healing process and it's going to be that way for probably ever," added Fleming.
Despite the ongoing struggles, the community has shown remarkable resilience in rebuilding.
"Day after day, we just put one foot in front of the other, and we just lifted up each other," Maginn said.
The Wynne family, who owns Spanish Lakes Country Club, is now constructing concrete block homes designed to withstand high winds. However, many residents continue to struggle with PTSD whenever storms approach the area.
Quaranta reflected on her journey forward.
"Life goes on, so here I am. The sun is always shining," she said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Read more of our coverage below:
The Day The Sky Turned
Daughter honors mother lost in tornado 1 year later
The Day The Sky Turned
Tornado survivor reflects on 'new world' 1 year after Milton
The Day The Sky Turned
Tornado survivor who lost everything recounts 'trauma', fight to rebuild
The Day The Sky Turned
Tornado survivor recounts being 'buried' by Milton twister
Also, check out more of our coverage from last year, including our documentary, "The Day the Sky Turned," that aired in December 2024.
