New Documentary Chronicles Tampa’s Recovery After Back-to-Back Hurricanes
A film about Tampa Bay’s fight against two fierce storms hits the Tampa Theatre screen Monday night. “HUNKS vs. Hurricanes” shows how people picked up the pieces after Helene and…
A film about Tampa Bay's fight against two fierce storms hits the Tampa Theatre screen Monday night. "HUNKS vs. Hurricanes" shows how people picked up the pieces after Helene and Milton struck just weeks apart in 2024.
"I did not think it was going to be like this at all," said Mario Martinez, a worker with College HUNKS Hauling Junk moving company, to Fox 13 News.
Water poured through Martinez's roof near USF, yet he kept working to help others. "The rain just flooded my place from the ceiling, so everything was drenched, everything was moldy, yeah, everything, nothing was able to be saved," he said.
"We wanted to capture the spirit of service and sacrifice we witnessed," said Nick Friedman, College HUNKS co-founder. "This wasn't just about our crews — it was about our city pulling together when it mattered most. I hope this film inspires others to do the same in the face of adversity."
When storms struck, officials turned to the moving company for help with cleanup. Workers showed up to assist others even as their own homes lay in ruins.
"We've always prepared for storms, and we've always been ready, but we've been in the position of sending our resources to other areas that got hit," said Tampa Mayor Jane Castor in the film.
The film captures crews at work: cutting through fallen trees, moving ruined furniture, and stepping up for storm victims. Raw footage shows both nature's wrath and neighbors helping neighbors.
"We don't often get that opportunity to actually be there for someone else in this world," Martinez said. "We all live very self-focused lives, you know, and to be there and actually make a real difference and a change for somebody who's really going through something felt great."
This story aims to boost storm readiness. "A feelings of preparedness for the next hurricane season, recognizing that maybe we won't catch us as off guard as it did this time around, heeding the warnings from our authorities," Friedman said.
Watch the film on YouTube:
