Hurricane Milton wreacked havoc across the Sunshine State as a Category 3 storm.

Amid the urgent warnings from authorities before Milton made landfall, Floridians prepared for the worst - and hoped for the best, of course.

You wouldn't expect pickleball to somehow enter the conversation at a time like that, right? But, it did, when CNN's Anderson Cooper interviewed a Longboat Key resident to learn more about her evacuation plans. 

“Have you decided what to take?” Cooper asked the woman. 

Viewers likely assumed that food, photos and family heirlooms would obviously be top of mind.

That wasn't the case at all.

“I’m taking my clothes and my pickleball paddle,” she replied.

That sparked lots of conversation on social media.

Floridians absolutely adore pickleball, but this interviewee took that passion to a whole new level.

Pickleball haters were outraged. 

Personally, I think her decision to pack a paddle isn't something to be scoffed at. It might be a little funny under the circumstances, but with devastation approaching, she felt compelled to take a personal item that provided some measure of comfort.

In fact, several people in The Kitchen’s comment section said they brought along their pickleball bags when they relocated to a safe area away from the Florida coastline.

Pickleball's detractors just don’t get it. For avid players, a pickleball paddle is a must-have in a suticase. And it doesn’t take up that much space either, so what's the harm in packing it? I don't see an issue.

In a time of potential disaster, it’s good to keep yourself grounded. There are people who've created some unique makeshift pickleball courts in their homes. And with major power outages across the state, you might as well dink in your driveway when the weather permits.