A Florida woman says she used duct tape and pillows to secure her paralyzed husband to his bed as Hurricane Ian pummeled their home

• Hurricane Ian left a trail of destruction behind after making landfall in Florida this week.
• One resident who stayed in her home in Punta Gorda told MSNBC the hurricane was "terrifying."

A woman said she used duct tape and pillows to secure her paralyzed husband to his bed as Hurricane Ian pummeled their home in Punta Gorda, Florida, on Wednesday.

Renee Smith told MSNBC in an interview on Thursday that she hid under her kitchen table and made a "fort with pillows and blankets" as the hurricane — described as one of the strongest storms to ever hit Florida — made landfall.

"It was terrifying," she told MSNBC.

Before taking shelter, Smith told NBC that she had to secure her husband, Christopher, who had recently become paralyzed from the chest down due to prostate cancer that metastasized to his spine.

Smith said that her husband was scheduled to undergo radiation treatment on Wednesday, but that it was cancelled because of the storm, so Christopher was told to go home. She said they had a hospital bed in their home as a result.

"I took some blankets and I put some holes in them with scissors and I zip-tied them to the hospital bed and then I took a big tarpaulin that had grommets and I zip-tied that over it; and then I put pillows and plastic bags and I duct-taped them to the top of the sideboard," Smith told MSNBC in an emotional interview.

"I put pillows between the sideboard and the window because I didn't want him to get cut up to death if the window blew in, and then I put a life jacket on him so that if the water came in he wouldn't drown, he would float," she said.

Smith told MSNBC that her husband was "traumatized" but alive, adding that the hurricane was the strongest she had ever experienced.

You can watch the full interview below:

Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida as a Category 4 storm, left behind a trail of destruction across the state, including deadly floodwaters, downed power lines, and widespread damage to homes and local buildings.

At least 10 people have been confirmed dead in the state though local officials expect the toll could be much higher, the BBC reported.

Some locals still remain trapped in their homes as rescue efforts are underway, officials told the BBC.

The hurricane has since moved inland and is heading towards North and South Carolina.