The storm tore down the roof of the room killing Nishelle Harris-Miles who had just turned 40 recently.
A woman died, just nine days after her birthday, after the roof of the room fell due to the strength of Hurricane Ian. Nishelle Harris-Miles was on vacation in Fort Myers, Florida when the terrible tragedy occurred. A nail pierced her main artery, killing her, said her family. The 40-year-old was on a birthday trip with three other women from Dayton to Florida.
Dayton woman killed by nail on birthday trip to Fort Myers during Hurricane Ian https://t.co/sUhj1zkpRj via @nypost
— Brad B. (@SteelerBrad2021) October 4, 2022
Describing the horrific way the woman was killed, her cousin told WLWT, "We strapped ourselves to each other with a sheet, laid on the mattress. That water came out that floor so fast, so quick. The roof was smashing us," said Chanel Maston of Dayton. "We tried to kick off the roof and lay on the mattress. It kicked off that roof, so that roof wouldn't smash us and the roof went, and we went."
"We started calling people before the water really started rising," Maston continued. "We called 911. We called 211. We called everybody to get us out of there, and nobody came," Maston said. In a horrifying moment, Nishelle was fatally struck by a nail from the collapsing roof. "She got trapped under. A nail pierced her main artery," Maston said. "She just turned 40. September 23, she just turned 40. She died nine days after her birthday."
Dayton family mourning the loss of a loved one after they say she was killed in Hurricane Ian https://t.co/BbPe5yYikz
— WLWT (@WLWT) October 2, 2022
Another cousin of Nishelle's, Adoria Lloyd, told WHIO that the family in Ohio had just talked to the 40-year-old before tragedy struck. “We were getting them in good spirits and we were telling them to be safe and all that. And then Wednesday, we just didn’t hear back from them,” she told the station. “Went for peace and came back broken, lost, confused, guilty,” LaQuitta Heard, Nishelle’s friend said. It was a traumatizing situation she can never forget. “I personally will never be the same again,” she said. “I had to watch her slowly die while we were being emerged in 18 feet of water with winds at a speed of 167 mph,” Heard said. The woman had to wait for over 12 hours until rescuers got to them.
It's important to put a face on a larger tragedy. Nishelle Harris-Miles is from Dayton, Ohio. She traveled with a group of friends and family to celebrate her birthday in Fort Myers. She is one of many who we lost too soon.https://t.co/JlDblCjgFu
— Lovable Liberal and his Old English sheepdog (@DougWahl1) October 4, 2022
Friends and family are now mourning the loss of their loved one. “She was a loving type of person, she passed love wherever she went,” Will Crusoe recalled. “Once again, you see the support that she has. She touched a lot of souls.” The family is now trying to get her body back so that she can be laid to rest. “Nene, we love you. We’re going to forever miss you,” said Lloyd. “Forever care for you, forever keep your name alive.”
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Cover Image Source: YouTube | WHIO
