Jackson County, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) - Hurricane Michael may have formed in the Gulf of Mexico, but few expected it to maintain such strength as it tore inland through the Florida Panhandle.

Former Jackson County Emergency Management Director Rodney Andreasen says the storm’s impact was unlike anything residents had seen before.

“People didn’t realize that hurricanes don’t respect coastlines,” Andreasen said. “When they come in, they bring wind, rain, tornadoes — everything. And that’s exactly what we got.”

Churches, schools, farms, and homes across the region were wiped out. In Marianna, residents watched in disbelief as the wind destroyed nearly everything in its path.

Cody Beasley, who worked with the Chipola Baptist Association during the storm, remembers stepping outside during the ca

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