'It's a new beginning:' Atlantic Beach man still rebuilding 6 months after Hurricane Florence

ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. (WTVD) — The last time we saw the inside of Kevin Knox’s Atlantic Beach home was just days after Hurricane Florence rocked the coast in Sept. 2018.

Knox opted to ride out the storm inside of his home. It’s a decision he now said he regrets.

“I still get chills when I hear dripping water,” Knox explained.

His home was damaged by the storm’s heavy rains, and his neighbors were hit hard too. An adjacent home completely lost its roof.

Six months later, that home has a new roof, and Knox’s home has made some progress too.

However, he’s still having new floors put in and replacing drywall.

Knox said the hardest part has been waiting for insurance and workers.

Atlantic Beach Mayor Trace Cooper ensured that the work would get done throughout the town. He said workers aiding the Crystal Coast are not only from North Carolina but surrounding areas.

“We’ve come a long way in six months,” Cooper said. “At this point, we’re all looking forward to a good summer and not thinking about the storm.”

Knox is also wanting to move beyond the storm.

“It’s a new beginning,” he said. “I’m happy. A fresh start, a new chapter, all those things you hear about and just get it done. I’m ready to start the next chapter.”