Family Vacation Turns Into Nightmare When Hurricane Odile Leaves Them Stranded In Cabo
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A vacation in paradise became a lesson in survival for one local family that learned the hard way when Hurricane Odile stranded them.
It looks like a war zone, but it's the Cabo luxury hotel that was the Emerson family's vacation destination after Hurricane Odile tore through it.
The ordeal turned frightening for the family after they had been ordered to leave their villa, then their hotel room to seek safety in makeshift tunnel shelters.
Even the basic protections afforded by the structure seemed threatened. The water weakening it too much, causing the ceiling to collapse.
The heat and lack of running water got so bad, they shaved their son's head to give him some relief. They tried desperately to leave via Cabo's badly damaged airport, but time after time, the few commercial planes filled up and left with other passengers ahead of them.
Five days later, they were able to get on a charter plane the U.S. government had arranged at nearly $2,000 out of pocket cost to the family. If they couldn't afford it, they might still be waiting there.
The family says it will be a long time before they consider another vacation outside the country.