Stratford students and faculty reacted Friday to Hurricane Matthew and the impact it has had on friends and family.

“My mom lives on the coast [in Charleston], and I have two properties there as well. I didn’t have to do much, I just had to make a couple of phone calls. I just had to make sure everything is tied down or put inside. My mother and my brother got out too.” – Mike Kelley, Chair of History Department

“I am so focused and concerned about everyone. Hating that the trip (cross country team trip to Disney World that was canceled) no longer matters.” — Lillie Sweet Strickland, freshman and member of the cross country team.

“It has been scary, because my uncles and grandparents in Florida have had to evacuate and board up their houses.” — Ashlin Jackson, sophomore

“My dad lives in Jacksonville, and it all really worries me because he lives right next to the water which is bad. I really just hope that he is safe.” — Emma Quintal,  freshman

“My uncle, aunt, and cousins from  Savannah had to evacuate their home and are staying with us indefinitely. They do not know when they can go back to Savannah, but we are happy they are here.” -Taylor Swan, freshman

“People have started calling me hurricane Matt. It creates humor at such a bad time.”- Matt Newberry , freshman

“All of my family in Florida has had to evacuate – my cousins, aunts, and uncles.” – Layne Davis, sophomore

“It’s been annoying because whenever I turn on the TV all I hear is Hurricane Matthew…” — Charlie Giles, sophomore

“My husband’s family is leaving Charleston and it took them six hours to get to Greenville, But my brother-in-law is staying in Charleston and is living with his friends. He thinks it will be fun.” — Mrs. Rachel Chabot, Chair of Foreign Language Department.

“I am very upset about the hurricane because it caused the cross country team to have to cancel their trip to Walt Disney World. We trained very hard for it, and the whole team was excited.”  — Emory Sutherland, sophomore

“I am very sad because Amelia Island, the beach I’ve been going to for 15 years, is about to be destroyed, but I am excited my cousin from Florida is now coming to stay with me until the weather gets better.” — Elizabeth Sellers,freshman

“Thomas was living in Charleston, so now he’s back. He was going to come back earlier but then Charleston was like ‘Alright everybody needs to leave right now. Everybody needs to get out of the city because it is all going to explode possibly.’ It’s been nice but he is a little worried because if his dorm ends up being destroyed and the rest of the city.”  — Austin Slocumb, sophomore

“One of my mom’s best friends lives in Florida, and she works as a nurse. She was going to come stay with us, but she can’t because she was put on hurricane duty at a hospital so she had to stay during the hurricane while it was hitting her city, and she had to take care of all the injured people.” — Meggie Aivalotis, sophomore

“I was at dinner last night with my family and the restaurant was packed with crowds from Florida and Savannah. We ended up having to leave the restaurant because the wait was so long. Although I was a little bit mad about not getting dinner I am happy that all the families I encountered escaped the storm and got here safely.” -Caroline Cole, sophomore

“I have friends from Ohio who are going to college in Florida, and my family agreed to take them in until the storm passes over.” — Jacob Burke, senior

“My grandmother is living in a trailer between Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida. She is right in the eye of the hurricane and it is getting very bad.’’ — Grant Bailey, sophomore.