MIAMI, FLORIDA--Hurricane Irma is hitting Florida Sunday, Two people who live in Florida, but have valley ties decided to evacuate.

They shared their stories about why they decided to leave.

Kristina Fuentes and her family live in Florida.

She's one of millions who left the sunshine state before Irma made landfall.

"We're thirty minutes away from Miami, and about ten minutes away from Fort Lauderdale. The way the cities are in Florida is actually exactly like the valley. It's one right after another," Fuentes said.

She said her family in the valley has been checking on her since hearing Irma would hit Florida.

Fuentes said she and her son evacuated to Laredo.

Her boyfriend, a Florida native decided to stay back and protect their home they just bought in February.

"He just told me it's bad outside. You can hear it. You hear the wind howling. You hear the rain," Fuentes said.

She said they've been in constant communication.

Fuentes tells us he lost power last night, making it too dangerous. He left their home and went to his parents who have metal shutters.

"He left our home on his own. He did what he could to protect it," Fuentes said.

On the other side of Florida is valley native Jesse Villarreal.

He lives near Naples and drove his family to Virginia yesterday.

"Things were getting hectic. People were fighting for water at the CVS, Walgreens. Price gouging was happening," Villarreal said.

He said he didn't want to take a chance and put his family in danger after seeing what Hurricane Harvey did to Texas.

"I've seen what Andrew did in Homestead. I've seen houses from Hurricane Charlie, Hurricane Irene, houses like somebody just put a bomb in them. I'm expecting a lot of houses knocked down, trees knocked down, power lines knocked down," Villarreal said.

He said the only thing they can do now is pray.

"A lot of family in Florida and i just hope God takes care of them," Villarreal said.

Villarreal said he's nervous to see what's left when he and his family go back home.