After Hurricane Milton tore through their hometown of Tampa, 100 Day Dream Home stars Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt are expressing gratitude that their family is “safe and sound” and that the damage to their home is “fixable.” They are among several Florida-based HGTV stars who endured the terrifying storm and are still grappling with the destruction left in its wake.
Hurricane Milton struck the Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3 storm on the evening of October 9, 2024, leaving over three million Floridians without power and causing at least eight deaths, according to the Associated Press.
As the hurricane swept across the state, it triggered devastating tornadoes in areas that weren’t expected to be affected, including several west coast cities. HGTV stars Bryan and Sarah Baeumler captured dramatic footage of a tornado from their windows, while Galey Alix shared that “the tornadoes were the scariest part for my area, and they did so much damage.”
HGTV’s Mika & Brian Kleinschmidt Rode Out Storm With Family in Tampa
The Kleinschmidts chose to remain in Florida to stay close to family as Hurricane Milton approached the Gulf Coast on October 9.
They spent the night at Brian’s parents’ home, which is located further inland than their own, as Mika shared in an overnight Instagram Story.
Though a last-minute shift in Hurricane Milton’s path spared Tampa from the worst of the storm, according to the Tampa Bay Times, officials still urged residents to stay off the roads the next day.
Authorities were in the early stages of assessing the damage, which included the roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field being blown off, while also contending with widespread flooding and power outages.
The following day, the Kleinschmidts were relieved to find their home mostly intact.
However, Brian shared an Instagram Story showing damage to their front porch, including parts of their exterior wall and ceiling that were completely gone. Mika added that they were fortunate to have avoided “major flooding.”
In another Instagram Story from the back of their house, where some of their screens were damaged, Mika shared her gratitude with fans.
“We just got back to our house — yes, we have a house to come back to — and I am so grateful. You can see behind me, we have a little bit of damage here, a couple of screens, the front porch, but honestly, no complaints. We are safe and sound. No power still, but family’s good, dogs are good.”
She laughed and added, “I’m running on about two hours of sleep, and oh, by the way, it’s my and Brian’s anniversary. This is the epitome of our relationship — a strong foundation, but sometimes some bumps along the way.” To celebrate their 10th anniversary, Brian posted a photo from their wedding, writing, “I’ll love you forever, no matter the weather.🌀💕 Happy Anniversary! 😘”
The couple spent their anniversary assessing the damage in their neighborhood, feeling thankful that they and their loved ones were safe.
Mika also thanked fans for their support, saying, “Honestly though, guys, I just want to say thank you to everybody who’s reached out to us. We’re going to assess the damage in the surrounding area — our neighbors, our family, our friends — and we’ll be posting later on how you can help with this hurricane recovery from Helene and now Milton.”
Bryan Baeumler Shares Jaw-Dropping Footage of Tornado From Their Florida Home