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Nishi Gupta reporting It's easy to look past the devastation of Hurricane Wilma if you aren't directly affected by it.
But as we found out, Wilma isn't thousands of miles away. For one Salt Lake woman, it has created a danger for her family.
Ruth Seoane survived the Mexican Riviera's Hurricane Gilbert in 1988. Now, almost twenty years later, she has kids and grandkids in the same region-- trying to survive Hurricane Wilma.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "Some of them are okay and I hope the rest of them are that haven't communicated with me."
Four of Ruth Seoane's six adult children live in the Yucatan Peninsula, and for the last couple days they've been in Wilma's path.
By telephone, she's heard from Janeen who lives in the city of Chetumal, and from Sabrina and Christopher who live in Cancun. But she hasn’t heard from her 28 year old son living in Cozumel.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "He's my gorgeous one..you must admit, he's pretty good looking"
But laughs aside, she's still concerned.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "I pray that Benjamin is alright."
Her other kids are alright, although they've personally witnessed the strength and devastation of the storm.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "This is the street where Sabrina lives"
Just up the street, a machine shop lost its roof and landed dangerously close to Sabrina's house.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "It is the backyard of this home where the metal roof came to rest"
It crushed the 7 foot high concrete wall into rubble.
One of her son's is a Bishop for an LDS church in Cancun.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "He went to protect it from the storm."
But Mother Nature wouldn't let him.
Last night he and 50 other people huddled in a closet when the church roof became victim to the storm.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "Even the chapel got ripped up by the wind."
One of the few things that remain: A picture.
Ruth Seoane, Has Family in Cancun: "Here's Sabrina’s four children at the chapel"
Ruth was on the phone with her children as late as this morning. But when she tried again this afternoon while we were there.
"Yep, they're cut off"
...the lines were no longer working..
"Yeah, I’m frustrated."
Even though Ruth's attempts to call her kids were unsuccessful, she's hopeful she'll hear from them again- even if it takes weeks.
