I grew up in Orlando, Florida, but never experienced summers as hot as this. That's why I bought a second home in North Carolina, and might move there for good.

• Mary Cannon, a Florida native, purchased a second home in Hayesville, North Carolina, in 2021. 
• She said the climate crisis has transformed Florida and she fears it's a dangerous place to live.
• Cannon said she's part of a wave of Floridians who have purchased homes in North Carolina.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mary Cannon, who purchased a second home in Hayesville, North Carolina, a four-hour drive west of Charlotte, to escape the summertime heat in Florida. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I'm Mary Cannon and I am 36 years old. I'm a senior trial attorney, working remotely for a Manhattan law firm. I also have my own firm that specializes in trademark law.