FORT PIERCE, Fla. — We continue to follow up with families who were impacted by the tornado outbreak in October. Many of the victims are still picking up the pieces while looking to move forward each and every day.
One of the many areas that faced true devastation was Rock Road near Kings Highway in Fort Pierce.
Down the long dirt road, is where the Whitehead family lived for over 30 years. Now, it's a piece of land that holds memories as the Whitehead home was destroyed during the tornado outbreak ahead of Hurricane Milton.
WPTV reporter Brooke Chau visited the family home just days later.
The father of the home, Bill Whitehead, reflected on that dark, windy and life-changing October evening when the tornado hit their neighborhood.
"All of the sudden ... I didn't hear the freight train sound that they always talk about but I can feel the barometric pressure change and everything got tight and drier and cooler and it was almost like a high-pitched feel to everything," he said.
As their roof fell into pieces, windows shattering and debris flying, they noticed their 9-month-old golden retriever Daisy was no longer lying next to them.
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SLC family shares devastating damage to where they called home for over 30 years
Julie posted on Facebook that Daisy was missing and within minutes, strangers across St. Lucie County were searching for the family dog.
Daisy was later found shortly after but she was scared, shaking, wet and dirty. The Whitehead family was just thankful that they were back together again regardless of losing everything else.
It's been nearly three months since that horrific night and the Whiteheads tell WPTV they are doing the best they can. The family is currently staying in a nearby rental home and looking to rebuild in 2025.
For Daisy, below is an updated photo. She's now almost a year old and doing well, just like her family.
