A FORMER Cardigan man and cancer sufferer, his wife who hails from Drefach Felindre and their two sons are experiencing a traumatic experience after being evacuated from their home in Florida, hit by devastating Hurricane Irma.

Robbie Bowen, aged 48, who worked as a carpenter in the Cardigan area for many years, wife Julie who was an office worker, moved to the Sunshine State in the USA with sons Osian, aged 22 and 19-year-old Wiliam nearly nine years ago.

The family settled in Tampa Bay where Robbie established and ran a thriving building company until a few months ago when he was diagnosed with cancer – he is currently fighting the disease and recently underwent twelve hours of surgery.

On Friday they were ordered to leave their home after the category five hurricane, the most powerful in the Atlantic ever, caused devastation with many deaths across the Caribbean and resulted in more than seven million Floridians being evacuated.

The family was ordered to leave their home on Friday and moved 150 miles inland where yesterday they were awaiting news about their abandoned home.

Early on Monday hugely amicable Robbie, who is staying with his family in a temporary shelter despite his medical condition, told the Tivyside “It is probably the worst situation ever in Florida and everyone has been affected.

“We are being well looked after and I am managing, but we are keeping our fingers crossed that our home is still standing.

“It has to be said that buildings can be replaced but not lives,” he said