A dad from Florida was determined to save his home from Hurricane Milton, using an impressive sandbag shield, and the footage went viral on TikTok.
Scarred by the destruction of Hurricane Ian, which tore across the state in 2022 and destroyed their home, Guy Lollino made sure the family did not suffer the same fate. “Not today,” wrote Nicolette Lollino (@nlollino), 25, as she shared her father’s creative solution. He constructed a protective barrier of sandbags around their Vanderbilt Beach home.
The video garnered more than 1.5 million likes and over 27.9 million views, with viewers marveling at the dad’s ingenuity. “The house was dry after Hurricane Milton; there ended up being about 2 feet of water outside,” Lollino told Newsweek, praising her dad’s successful preparations.
Guy Lollino (left) is seen preparing his defense wall (right). The dad got to work shielding his home from the imminent flooding, and his daughter told Newsweek how proud she was of him.
@nlollino/@nlollino
The video featured Guy, 54, the owner of a construction company, wearing a hazmat suit as he meticulously built a wall of sandbags. He used spray foam insulation to seal the gaps between the bags, ensuring no water could get through, and covered the windows with tarp for extra protection.
“We had 5 feet of water from Hurricane Ian in 2022, which caused us to completely redo our home,” Nicolette said.
Vanderbilt Beach, located along Florida’s Gulf Coast, was one of many areas hit hard by Ian. The storm left a trail of destruction across Florida, ruining 5,000 homes and damaging another 30,000.
Determined not to face the same level of devastation again, Guy invested $3,500 in flood defenses. Nicolette reflected on the cost, calling it “a small price to pay in comparison to redoing your whole house.”
“My dad said no way is a hurricane ruining this house again,” Nicolette wrote as the text overlaying the video.
TikTok users were captivated by Guy’s efforts, with many admiring his quick thinking and commitment.
“We need a dad reveal ASAP [as soon as possible],” commented one viewer, while another posted: “I wanna know if this genius idea worked. What a man!”
Hurricane Milton hit Florida on October 9, killing at least 16 people, leaving many without power, and damaging homes across the state.
Despite the rising concerns over unpaid insurance claims from Hurricane Milton, the Lollinos were able to avoid costly repairs, thanks to Guy’s proactive measures.
In a follow-up video shared on October 10, Nicolette proudly showed off their “bone dry home,” which earned an additional 795,500 likes and more than 18 million views.
As she panned the camera around, her dad could be heard saying, “Bone dry. No water at all, not an ounce of water,” while outside, 2 inches of floodwater surrounded their house.
Commenters on TikTok were in awe of Guy’s handy work, with some suggesting he turn his skills into a business.
“I think dad just created his new seasonal business,” wrote one user. “Insurance companies might even pay for the service if it eliminates damage payouts.”
Another viewer posted: “Extremely smart! I hope more Floridians learn this.”
While Guy’s sandbag wall proved effective, it highlights the larger question of how residents can protect their homes from future storms.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests using flood barriers, elevating utilities, and sealing basements and windows.
