TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Monsoon storms this past weekend caused significant damage on the city's west side, posing severe challenges for homeless individuals.
Bryan Parnell, who sought shelter under the Grant Road bridge at Santa Cruz River Park, recounted his experience riding the storm out.
“We were all there sitting right there chilling, and the water and the rains and the winds just come in, and WHOOSH, it just threw us that way and was hitting us,” he said.
Living outdoors during the monsoon is particularly tough.
“The dirt and the trash and everything was hitting us so hard that we were trying to cover up with anything we could find,” Parnell said.
Underpasses and bridges, like those along the Santa Cruz River, are common shelters during storms.
The Salvation Army provides essential resources, such as a daily cooling centers at the Hospitality House, 1002 N. Main Ave., with extended hours during extreme weather.
Major Andres Espinoza, Tucson Coordinator for the Salvation Army, emphasized the organization's efforts.
“When the weather starts heating like the monsoon last week or this week, we open the doors also for the people that stay inside and be safe for the monsoon until the weather escapes,” Espinoza said.
Parnell said he remains hopeful for the future.
“Not trying to make this a lifestyle," he said. "Just taking it one day at a time, trying to better myself and get out of this situation,” he said.
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
