Chantel Thompson, a recently evacuated Grand Bahama resident, may need therapy after maneuvering through Hurricane Dorian’s powerful winds, torrential rain and sea surge, which she described as an “horrific” experience.

“We had to practically swim through the water in the storm as we saw the water in our home rising and rising,” Thompson saidthis past Friday.

“We heard through WhatsApp this was low tide and high tide was expected to come later on. We also heard news of persons in their roof and we didn’t want to end up stuck in that situation.”

She added that her family tried calling for help only to be told that their area was not a “high priority area” at the time. 

However, when the flood water rose up to her windows, she and her family realized they had to leave.

“So, we tried to escape by vehicle. The vehicle could not make it through the water. The water was too high and it stalled out,”she explained.

“We left that vehicle and we went by foot down the road. Basically, we were almost swimming through the water and you could smell cesspit. It was just terrifying.” 

As the rain beat on their backs and winds pushed them back and forth, she said they clung to each other. 

Her family walked about half a mile up the road to a neighbor’s house, where they stayed for two days until the water subsided. 

Looking back on here experience, Mrs. Thompson said her family is traumatized by the experience.

“The kids right now they are saying, ‘Mommy, I think we need therapy. I think all of us need therapy,’” she said.

“Going through that experience was an horrific experience, but I thank God for bringing us through because there are people overin the east that did not make it.”