TAMPA, Fla. — As the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane season draws to a close, one USF football player in particular is happy to see it end.

  • Christion Gainer's family at home in Panama City during Hurricane Michael
  • Family unharmed, but home lost its roof
  • USF helped set up GoFundMe campaign to help Gainer's family

USF Bulls offensive lineman Christion Gainer's hometown of Panama City was wrecked by Hurricane Michael. He got a firsthand look at the damage after the storm.

“It was so strange to drive through it,” said Gainer. “I didn’t recognize my city at all.”

His family's home suffered heavy damage, as well. His mother, several family members and friends were in the house during the storm.

They came through it safely, but the storm did rip the roof off of the house.

“When the roof came down, everything got wet,” said Gainer.  “We had a lot of mattresses and things that were destroyed.  It was pretty hard for my family.”

Though the storm's destruction will long be remembered, Gainer said he believes the 2018 hurricane season will also be remembered by those affected for how people pulled together to help one another recover.

“My family is doing a lot better now. The community helped us out so much,” he said. “The Bulls community, the coaches at USF, my friends all helped so much. It has been wonderful.”

USF helped to set up a GoFundMe page for Gainer’s mother to repair the family home.  So far, the campaign has raised about $5,300 towards their goal of $10,000.

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