SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL — A damaged power pole left a 65-year-old South Tallahassee man without electricity as temperatures climbed into the 90s. Neighbors, volunteers, and a city commissioner stepped in to restore his power.
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A retired Leon County Schools worker spent days without power, food, or a clear path forward as temperatures climbed as high as 99 degrees in South Tallahassee. Now, neighbors are using his story as a reminder of how quickly seniors can fall into crisis and how important community support can be.
"They told me they're gonna cut my power off because my pole is damaged," Benson DeVane said.
DeVane, 65, has lived in his mobile home for decades. After a problem with a power pole on the property, he lost electricity to his home. With temperatures climbing as high as 99 degrees, he says the heat quickly became hard to handle.
"I didn't sleep much at all because I was under a lot of stress. It was hot. I didn't know how I was going to do this," DeVane said.
DeVane says he used most of his savings to buy a replacement pole but did not know how he would pay to have it installed. Then a phone call for help reached the wrong person — and that call eventually connected him with Julia Blankenship, who brought food, water, and a plan to help.
Blankenship shared DeVane's story online, and the community responded. Mike Cote with Tallahassee Electrical Services volunteered his time. Timothy Mosley with the Less Fortunate Still Matters Foundation helped coordinate assistance. City Commissioner Jeremy Matlow helped expedite the permit process. By Friday, DeVane's power was restored.
"We need to be careful about our fragile folks in this town," Blankenship said.
Blankenship says the community response shows what can happen when people look out for their neighbors.
DeVane says he is grateful for everyone who stepped up.
"First of all, I always learned to pray and turn things over to God. I really appreciate them so much. They just don't know," DeVane said.
Blankenship says this story isn't just about one man getting his power back. She hopes it encourages people to check on seniors, especially during extreme weather or times of crisis.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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