MILWAUKEE — With Hurricane Milton barreling towards Florida, Wisconsinites in the Sunshine State are getting out of harm's way.
Jack Riess, of West Bend, Wis., spent his Tuesday morning at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport anxiously waiting for his son, Nathan Riess.
Jack Riess said Nathan Riess just started going to school at the Florida Institute of Technology.
“When we found out [Hurricane Milton] went from a Category 4 to a Category 5, we were kind of freaked out about it," Jack Riess said. "My wife and I talked, and we are going to fly him home.”
Jack Riess said the cost of getting Nathan Riess on a flight didn’t matter to him and his wife.
“When we looked at flying him home for his birthday, which is October 7, it was around $200 to $220. When we got the last ticket on this plane, it was $450. So, it was double the cost,” Jack Riess said.
For some trying to get out of Florida on Tuesday, cost was not the issue. Rather, canceled flights out of Tampa and Fort Myers airports made it even harder to get to Wisconsin.
Deborah Bence, of Oconomowoc, Wis., said she was able to leave Orlando just in the nick of time.
“We arrived on Saturday, and found out [about Hurricane Milton] on that day. It was a little scary, and [I] kept checking the weather app all the time," Bence said. "The hotel people at Walt Disney World kept us very informed, too. Definitely enjoyed Disney Springs and just tried to make the most of the trip and be aware of the hurricane that was coming.”
When Nathan Riess finally arrived back in Milwaukee, his father clapped his hands and gave him a hug.
Thankful to be home, Nathan Riess recalled how the hurricane changed the mood on campus.
“I woke up one morning and got done with one class. And then, all of a sudden, I was on my phone, and I think everyone in my dorm was on the phone with their parents," Nathan Riess said. "Everyone was like, ‘Oh we’re going home.’ I think my dorm has 23 people in it and now I think there are only five left, so everyone all of a sudden went home that one day.”
Seeing his son again, there was only one thought on Jack Riess’ mind: Relief and gratitude.
“This was kind of emotional for the family, but after a while when we decided to fly him home, we were so relieved,” Jack Riess said.
The Riess family said they are looking forward to spending more time together over the next week, but they hope everyone in Milton’s path will be okay.