Ohio man died during Hurricane after falling from 15th floor hotel room balcony doing a handstand
An Ohio man fell to his death while attempting a handstand from a hotel balcony during Hurricane Ian - but his family says there's more to the story.
Markell Hope, 34, was staying at the Patricia Grand Hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, when he plunged off the 15th floor balcony on September 30 at around 3pm.
Horry County Coroner's Office originally claimed Hope fell while performing a handstand on the elevated platform. His family, however, were not satisfied with that explanation and have taken to Facebook in search of a woman they believe was present at the time and is now 'hiding.'
'Where's the proof,' Jerry Tennant, who knew Hope, wrote on Facebook. 'Who else was there?
'Once I saw the pictures of the balcony, I knew this story was bs. Markell wouldn't go there. I know in my heart that there is so much more to this story.'
Hope's sister Cella Hope said the family is still waiting to see footage from the hotel.
'They have been delaying us from seeing the footage. Call the Myrtle beach police station and demand them to release the footage of Markell Hope,' she wrote.
The coroner told The Daily Mail the family's questions have prompted the investigation to continue. The police department has yet to announce any official changes to their previous conclusions.
'There was a disagreement with the family,' a spokesperson with the coroner's office said. 'They disagree with the finding. It's still under investigation.'
Markell Hope, 34, was staying at the Patricia Grand Hotel when he plunged off the balcony on September 30. The Horry County Coroner's Office originally claimed he died while performing a handstand but are now walking back on that claim
Police are reinvestigating the death of Hope after they originally said he fell to his death from the 15th floor of a hotel room at Myrtle Beach
Horry County Coroner's Office told DailyMail.com that they are walking back on the assumption that he fell during a handstand after his family disagreed with how he died
Family members are seeking answers to how Hope died amid the ongoing investigation of his death. They have taken to Facebook in search of a woman they believe was present at the time
Hope was visiting South Carolina amid the Category 4 hurricane that shook Florida last week.
The search for survivors continues as the death toll exceeds 100 in the Sunshine State with another four deaths in North Carolina as of Monday.
Some people had entire homes destroyed, especially in the 40 square mile block of Pine Island in Lee County Florida, which is home to 8,420 people, according to Census Reporter. Lee County has suffered from the most deaths with 54 reported to date.
Some islanders have returned to the ruins of the island to recover some of their belongings in what they can gather in plastic bags. Some valuables were deemed unrecoverable after being covered in mold.
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Share'Goodbye home,' entrepreneur Alexandra Fasulo wrote on Instagram along with multiple videos of her Pine Island community that was seen mostly under water with the outlines of homes exposed.
'My home is totaled, most of my stuff is totaled, and my home community is washed out to sea. I was able to salvage 3 garbage bags of clothes. Had to leave the rest behind as mold has reclaimed the entire house. Materials can be replaced, sure, but the time I spent collecting books, antiques, and clothing items I’ve had for 10 years can’t. It’s the time lost that hurts.'
She continued while reflecting upon life before Ian: 'I wish you could have seen the town only a week ago. Fresh catch from local fishermen, people from around the world casting their lines off the bridge, tourists pouring into Leoma’s famous art gallery, glasses clinking at Bert’s Bar, and the bright lime green paint that covered my little Gulf cottage. It was a beautiful sight.'
Meanwhile, Fort Myers Beach residents, also in Florida, were warned they might not be able to return to their waterlogged homes for months because of the devastation blighting the coastal community.
Residents mourn their loses as some people have lost their entire living, especially in the 40 square mile block of Pine Island in Lee County which is home to 8,420 people
Some islanders have returned to the ruins of the island to recover some of their belongings in what they can gather in plastic bags
The colorful Pine Island before the devastating hurricane that brought the island to ruins
View this post on InstagramView this post on InstagramMany residents in Florida are left without power with Pine Island and Sanibel Island being among the last jurisdictions to get electricity restored, according to NPR.
More than 117,000 residents are left without electricity in Florida as of Friday morning.
Some homes in Florida, including in Lee and DeSoto county can only be reached by boats as the flooding persists.
Residents in DeSoto County have been stranded in their homes for days as the National Guard continues to deliver food and water, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, some communities were left unharmed, including Babcook Ranch in Charlotte County, Florida.
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