How damages caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022

continue to affect individuals in hard-hit areas of

Southwest Florida.

The Long Term Recovery of Southwest Florida



The Long Term Recovery of Southwest Florida



The Long Term Recovery of Southwest Florida



 How damages caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022 continue to affect individuals in hard-hit areas of Southwest Florida.



 How damages caused by Hurricane Ian in 2022 continue to affect individuals in hard-hit areas of Southwest Florida.



This project starts on September 28th, 2023 on Fort Myers Beach. Hundreds of people are gathered to listen to live music and enjoy the sunshine. But they are there to commemorate what was surely the worst day in the history of Fort Myers Beach. One year ago, Hurricane Ian made landfall on the coast of Southwest Florida as a Category 4 tropical cyclone.


This hurricane was the deadliest to hit Florida since 1935 and the 3rd costliest weather disaster on record. According to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it is estimated that the damages caused by the storm add up to $112.9 billion in the United States, with $109.5 billion occurring in Florida. Lee County was the hardest hit, leaving 5,369 structures completely destroyed and 14,245 with major damage. Across the state, approximately 3.28 million people lost power, leaving thousands without power for more than a week. Hurricane Ian was directly responsible for 66 deaths, all of which occurred in Florida.

 

The remembrance ceremony is being held on Fort Myers Beach at the brand new Bayside Park. The park features sun shades installed on metal poles. Each of those poles have a black line about 15 feet up, signifying how high the storm surge peaked one year ago. Although residents of Fort Myers Beach repeat the words “resilient” and “Fort Myers Beach Strong”, many have a long way to go in their recovery process.



This project starts on September 28th, 2023 on Fort Myers Beach. Hundreds of people are gathered to listen to live music and enjoy the sunshine. But they are there to commemorate what was surely the worst day in the history of Fort Myers Beach. One year ago, Hurricane Ian made landfall on the coast of Southwest Florida as a Category 4 tropical cyclone.


This hurricane was the deadliest to hit Florida since 1935 and the 3rd costliest weather disaster on record. According to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it is estimated that the damages caused by the storm add up to $112.9 billion in the United States, with $109.5 billion occurring in Florida. Lee County was the hardest hit, leaving 5,369 structures completely destroyed and 14,245 with major damage. Across the state, approximately 3.28 million people lost power, leaving thousands without power for more than a week. Hurricane Ian was directly responsible for 66 deaths, all of which occurred in Florida.

 

The remembrance ceremony is being held on Fort Myers Beach at the brand new Bayside Park. The park features sun shades installed on metal poles. Each of those poles have a black line about 15 feet up, signifying how high the storm surge peaked one year ago. Although residents of Fort Myers Beach repeat the words “resilient” and “Fort Myers Beach Strong”, many have a long way to go in their recovery process.

This project starts on September 28th, 2023 on Fort Myers Beach. Hundreds of people are gathered to listen to live music and enjoy the sunshine. But they are there to commemorate what was surely the worst day in the history of Fort Myers Beach. One year ago, Hurricane Ian made landfall on the coast of Southwest Florida as a Category 4 tropical cyclone.


This hurricane was the deadliest to hit Florida since 1935 and the 3rd costliest weather disaster on record. According to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it is estimated that the damages caused by the storm add up to $112.9 billion in the United States, with $109.5 billion occurring in Florida. Lee County was the hardest hit, leaving 5,369 structures completely destroyed and 14,245 with major damage. Across the state, approximately 3.28 million people lost power, leaving thousands without power for more than a week. Hurricane Ian was directly responsible for 66 deaths, all of which occurred in Florida.

 

The remembrance ceremony is being held on Fort Myers Beach at the brand new Bayside Park. The park features sun shades installed on metal poles. Each of those poles have a black line about 15 feet up, signifying how high the storm surge peaked one year ago. Although residents of Fort Myers Beach repeat the words “resilient” and “Fort Myers Beach Strong”, many have a long way to go in their recovery process.

This project starts on September 28th, 2023 on Fort Myers Beach. Hundreds of people are gathered to listen to live music and enjoy the sunshine. But they are there to commemorate what was surely the worst day in the history of Fort Myers Beach. One year ago, Hurricane Ian made landfall on the coast of Southwest Florida as a Category 4 tropical cyclone.


This hurricane was the deadliest to hit Florida since 1935 and the 3rd costliest weather disaster on record. According to NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it is estimated that the damages caused by the storm add up to $112.9 billion in the United States, with $109.5 billion occurring in Florida. Lee County was the hardest hit, leaving 5,369 structures completely destroyed and 14,245 with major damage. Across the state, approximately 3.28 million people lost power, leaving thousands without power for more than a week. Hurricane Ian was directly responsible for 66 deaths, all of which occurred in Florida.

 

The remembrance ceremony is being held on Fort Myers Beach at the brand new Bayside Park. The park features sun shades installed on metal poles. Each of those poles have a black line about 15 feet up, signifying how high the storm surge peaked one year ago. Although residents of Fort Myers Beach repeat the words “resilient” and “Fort Myers Beach Strong”, many have a long way to go in their recovery process.

Written by Haley Keller
(Applied Research Project for the Digital Journalism and Design Graduate Program at USF)

Written by Haley Keller
(Applied Research Project for the Digital Journalism and Design Graduate Program at USF)

Written by Haley Keller
(Applied Research Project for the Digital Journalism and Design Graduate Program at USF)

Image via Cyclocane on September 27th, 2022

Those who live elsewhere, away from the daily reminders of this devastating storm, are often under the impression that the recovery and rebuild is certainly complete by now and the community back to normal. Across Southwest Florida, hundreds, if not thousands, of community members have a different story to tell. Although the media has long since moved on from covering Hurricane Ian, this community continues to struggle with recovery efforts. Insurance battles rage on, while others are uninsured entirely, leaving them wondering how they can afford to repair their homes

 

In the days before the storm made landfall, experts expected it to hit somewhere around Tampa (right). There was always a possibility it could shift, but the most likely model was showing the surge affecting Tampa or St. Petersburg. Local news outlets analyzed which neighborhoods in Tampa were most vulnerable to storm surge and residents there prepared for the flood. It never came. Instead, the storm shifted south and made landfall on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island bringing record flooding along the coast, over the barrier islands, and pushing ocean water up the Caloosahatchee River. Coupled with the fact that the last big storm, Hurricane Irma, did not result in the storm surge that was warned about, many people in vulnerable areas chose to stay.


While the media has other, more pressing, disasters to report on, this project’s purpose is to fill the gap and determine how Southwest Florida’s residents are coping with the aftermath of this disaster a year later and analyze the myriad of issues and difficulties they are facing. They also want to share their experiences during the storm. The individuals in this story are from all different areas in Southwest Florida including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, and Matlacha Pass. 



Those who live elsewhere, away from the daily reminders of this devastating storm, are often under the impression that the recovery and rebuild is certainly complete by now and the community back to normal. Across Southwest Florida, hundreds, if not thousands, of community members have a different story to tell. Although the media has long since moved on from covering Hurricane Ian, this community continues to struggle with recovery efforts. Insurance battles rage on, while others are uninsured entirely, leaving them wondering how they can afford to repair their homes

 

In the days before the storm made landfall, experts expected it to hit somewhere around Tampa (below). There was always a possibility it could shift, but the most likely model was showing the surge affecting Tampa or St. Petersburg. Local news outlets analyzed which neighborhoods in Tampa were most vulnerable to storm surge and residents there prepared for the flood. It never came. Instead, the storm shifted south and made landfall on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island bringing record flooding along the coast, over the barrier islands, and pushing ocean water up the Caloosahatchee River. Coupled with the fact that the last big storm, Hurricane Irma, did not result in the storm surge that was warned about, many people in vulnerable areas chose to stay.


While the media has other, more pressing, disasters to report on, this project’s purpose is to fill the gap and determine how Southwest Florida’s residents are coping with the aftermath of this disaster a year later and analyze the myriad of issues and difficulties they are facing. They also want to share their experiences during the storm. The individuals in this story are from all different areas in Southwest Florida including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, and Matlacha Pass. 



Those who live elsewhere, away from the daily reminders of this devastating storm, are often under the impression that the recovery and rebuild is certainly complete by now and the community back to normal. Across Southwest Florida, hundreds, if not thousands, of community members have a different story to tell. Although the media has long since moved on from covering Hurricane Ian, this community continues to struggle with recovery efforts. Insurance battles rage on, while others are uninsured entirely, leaving them wondering how they can afford to repair their homes

 

In the days before the storm made landfall, experts expected it to hit somewhere around Tampa. There was always a possibility it could shift, but the most likely model was showing the surge affecting Tampa or St. Petersburg. Local news outlets analyzed which neighborhoods in Tampa were most vulnerable to storm surge and residents there prepared for the flood. It never came. Instead, the storm shifted south and made landfall on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island bringing record flooding along the coast, over the barrier islands, and pushing ocean water up the Caloosahatchee River. Coupled with the fact that the last big storm, Hurricane Irma, did not result in the storm surge that was warned about, many people in vulnerable areas chose to stay.


While the media has other, more pressing, disasters to report on, this project’s purpose is to fill the gap and determine how Southwest Florida’s residents are coping with the aftermath of this disaster a year later and analyze the myriad of issues and difficulties they are facing. They also want to share their experiences during the storm. The individuals in this story are from all different areas in Southwest Florida including Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, and Matlacha Pass. 



14 lives were lost on Fort Myers Beach that day, most due to the storm surge that rose over 18 feet in some parts. Others were lucky to have survived, but lost everything. Some arrived back on the island to discover that their houses were completely gone, washed out to sea. The beach is really a long barrier island connected to the mainland by a short bridge over Estero Bay. Driving down Fort Myers Beach, you can see pilings where houses once stood. They have not been demolished, just taken away by the rushing waves that day. Those who have structures that remain are struggling to rebuild, either due to insurance issues or the slow process of dealing with a recovery that is happening in different stages in almost every home. 

 

Heavenly Biscuits, a restaurant in a charming little building right by the beach not far from the bridge, was a popular spot, especially for southern comfort food. They are currently operating out of a food truck. When the owners, Heather and Don (last names redacted), returned to survey their damage, they found nothing but debris. The entire building had washed away in what Don estimates to have been about 18 feet of surge (see right for before/after). They also had 15 feet of flood water in their home on the beach. They anticipate that they won’t be back in a permanent restaurant building for another 3 years and their home may be finished by the summer of 2024. They did not have insurance and received no assistance from FEMA, despite applying for it.

14 lives were lost on Fort Myers Beach that day, most due to the storm surge that rose over 18 feet in some parts. Others were lucky to have survived, but lost everything. Some arrived back on the island to discover that their houses were completely gone, washed out to sea. The beach is really a long barrier island connected to the mainland by a short bridge over Estero Bay. Driving down Fort Myers Beach, you can see pilings where houses once stood (top right). They have not been demolished, just taken away by the rushing waves that day. Those who have structures that remain are struggling to rebuild, either due to insurance issues or the slow process of dealing with a recovery that is happening in different stages in almost every home. 

 

Heavenly Biscuits, a restaurant in a charming little building right by the beach not far from the bridge, was a popular spot, especially for southern comfort food. They are currently operating out of a food truck. When the owners, Heather and Don (last names redacted), returned to survey their damage, they found nothing but debris. The entire building had washed away in what Don estimates to have been about 18 feet of surge. They also had 15 feet of flood water in their home on the beach. They anticipate that they won’t be back in a permanent restaurant building for another 3 years and their home may be finished by the summer of 2024. They did not have insurance and received no assistance from FEMA, despite applying for it.

14 lives were lost on Fort Myers Beach that day, most due to the storm surge that rose over 18 feet in some parts. Others were lucky to have survived, but lost everything. Some arrived back on the island to discover that their houses were completely gone, washed out to sea. The beach is really a long barrier island connected to the mainland by a short bridge over Estero Bay. Driving down Fort Myers Beach, you can see pilings where houses once stood (top below). They have not been demolished, just taken away by the rushing waves that day. Those who have structures that remain are struggling to rebuild, either due to insurance issues or the slow process of dealing with a recovery that is happening in different stages in almost every home. 

 

Heavenly Biscuits, a restaurant in a charming little building right by the beach not far from the bridge, was a popular spot, especially for southern comfort food. They are currently operating out of a food truck. When the owners, Heather and Don (last names redacted), returned to survey their damage, they found nothing but debris (before/after below). The entire building had washed away in what Don estimates to have been about 18 feet of surge. They also had 15 feet of flood water in their home on the beach. They anticipate that they won’t be back in a permanent restaurant building for another 3 years and their home may be finished by the summer of 2024. They did not have insurance and received no assistance from FEMA, despite applying for it.

14 lives were lost on Fort Myers Beach that day, most due to the storm surge that rose over 18 feet in some parts. Others were lucky to have survived, but lost everything. Some arrived back on the island to discover that their houses were completely gone, washed out to sea. The beach is really a long barrier island connected to the mainland by a short bridge over Estero Bay. Driving down Fort Myers Beach, you can see pilings where houses once stood (top right). They have not been demolished, just taken away by the rushing waves that day. Those who have structures that remain are struggling to rebuild, either due to insurance issues or the slow process of dealing with a recovery that is happening in different stages in almost every home. 

 

Heavenly Biscuits, a restaurant in a charming little building right by the beach not far from the bridge, was a popular spot, especially for southern comfort food. They are currently operating out of a food truck. When the owners, Heather and Don (last names redacted), returned to survey their damage, they found nothing but debris. The entire building had washed away in what Don estimates to have been about 18 feet of surge. They also had 15 feet of flood water in their home on the beach. They anticipate that they won’t be back in a permanent restaurant building for another 3 years and their home may be finished by the summer of 2024. They did not have insurance and received no assistance from FEMA, despite applying for it.

14 lives were lost on Fort Myers Beach that day, most due to the storm surge that rose over 18 feet in some parts. Others were lucky to have survived, but lost everything. Some arrived back on the island to discover that their houses were completely gone, washed out to sea. The beach is really a long barrier island connected to the mainland by a short bridge over Estero Bay. Driving down Fort Myers Beach, you can see pilings where houses once stood (top right). They have not been demolished, just taken away by the rushing waves that day. Those who have structures that remain are struggling to rebuild, either due to insurance issues or the slow process of dealing with a recovery that is happening in different stages in almost every home. 

 

Heavenly Biscuits, a restaurant in a charming little building right by the beach not far from the bridge, was a popular spot, especially for southern comfort food. They are currently operating out of a food truck. When the owners, Heather and Don (last names redacted), returned to survey their damage, they found nothing but debris. The entire building had washed away in what Don estimates to have been about 18 feet of surge. They also had 15 feet of flood water in their home on the beach. They anticipate that they won’t be back in a permanent restaurant building for another 3 years and their home may be finished by the summer of 2024. They did not have insurance and received no assistance from FEMA, despite applying for it.

Before/After of the restaurant taken by Heather and Don

Gilli Anna, a jewelry designer, had planned to move into a new apartment on the island at the beginning of October of 2022. Her new apartment was not ready yet, so she decided to move her belongings into the back room of her jewelry store for temporary storage. The surge broke the windows in her shop, carrying away everything she owned, along with all of her business merchandise. Since the storm, she has been rebuilding her jewelry business by selling in local markets. Gilli says her brick and mortar store may be back up and running in the next couple of months. She has been living in a friend’s home since the storm. It has been difficult for her to find a new apartment since many are damaged and the few buildings that are livable are occupied by other displaced residents.   

          

Chester Rogers is a local Fort Myers Beach caricature artist and has lived in the area his entire 73 years. He too, lost all of his artwork in the storm. Preparing for a major wind event, he loaded his van with all of his paintings and parked it in a sheltered area. His van floated down the street, the flood water ruining his art collection. Chester has also been selling out of local markets, attempting to build up his business again. His income comes from the tourism industry, which makes it difficult for him to work with decreased traffic on the beach.

Gilli Anna, a jewelry designer, had planned to move into a new apartment on the island at the beginning of October of 2022. Her new apartment was not ready yet, so she decided to move her belongings into the back room of her jewelry store for temporary storage. The surge broke the windows in her shop, carrying away everything she owned, along with all of her business merchandise. Since the storm, she has been rebuilding her jewelry business by selling in local markets. Gilli says her brick and mortar store may be back up and running in the next couple of months. She has been living in a friend’s home since the storm. It has been difficult for her to find a new apartment since many are damaged and the few buildings that are livable are occupied by other displaced residents.   

          

Chester Rogers is a local Fort Myers Beach caricature artist and has lived in the area his entire 73 years. He too, lost all of his artwork in the storm. Preparing for a major wind event, he loaded his van with all of his paintings and parked it in a sheltered area. His van floated down the street, the flood water ruining his art collection. Chester has also been selling out of local markets, attempting to build up his business again. His income comes from the tourism industry, which makes it difficult for him to work with decreased traffic on the beach.

Gilli Anna, a jewelry designer, had planned to move into a new apartment on the island at the beginning of October of 2022. Her new apartment was not ready yet, so she decided to move her belongings into the back room of her jewelry store for temporary storage. The surge broke the windows in her shop, carrying away everything she owned, along with all of her business merchandise. Since the storm, she has been rebuilding her jewelry business by selling in local markets. Gilli says her brick and mortar store may be back up and running in the next couple of months. She has been living in a friend’s home since the storm. It has been difficult for her to find a new apartment since many are damaged and the few buildings that are livable are occupied by other displaced residents.   

          

Chester Rogers is a local Fort Myers Beach caricature artist and has lived in the area his entire 73 years. He too, lost all of his artwork in the storm. Preparing for a major wind event, he loaded his van with all of his paintings and parked it in a sheltered area. His van floated down the street, the flood water ruining his art collection. Chester has also been selling out of local markets, attempting to build up his business again. His income comes from the tourism industry, which makes it difficult for him to work with decreased traffic on the beach.

Michael Quinn, another local who has been a street artist for over 15 years on Fort Myers Beach, was also displaced by the storm. The apartment that he was renting was inundated with 15 feet of surge and he lost all his belongings. Having nowhere else to go, he lived in a Miami hotel sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 70 days after the storm. FEMA sponsored hotel stays for many displaced residents and also supplied travel trailers for families to live in while they rebuilt or found other housing. According to the FEMA website, they housed more than 4,100 families in hotel rooms after Ian destroyed their homes. As of April 2023, they were housing 963 families in 466 travel trailer units, 227 manufactured homes, and 282 leased apartments. Quinn (right) waited 5 months for a FEMA trailer to become available and has been living there since February just off Fort Myers Beach. In March, FEMA will take the trailer back but he currently does not know where he will live.

Michael Quinn, another local who has been a street artist for over 15 years on Fort Myers Beach, was also displaced by the storm. The apartment that he was renting was inundated with 15 feet of surge and he lost all his belongings. Having nowhere else to go, he lived in a Miami hotel sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 70 days after the storm. FEMA sponsored hotel stays for many displaced residents and also supplied travel trailers for families to live in while they rebuilt or found other housing. According to the FEMA website, they housed more than 4,100 families in hotel rooms after Ian destroyed their homes. As of April 2023, they were housing 963 families in 466 travel trailer units, 227 manufactured homes, and 282 leased apartments. Quinn (right) waited 5 months for a FEMA trailer to become available and has been living there since February just off Fort Myers Beach. In March, FEMA will take the trailer back but he currently does not know where he will live.

Michael Quinn, another local who has been a street artist for over 15 years on Fort Myers Beach, was also displaced by the storm. The apartment that he was renting was inundated with 15 feet of surge and he lost all his belongings. Having nowhere else to go, he lived in a Miami hotel sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for 70 days after the storm. FEMA sponsored hotel stays for many displaced residents and also supplied travel trailers for families to live in while they rebuilt or found other housing. According to the FEMA website, they housed more than 4,100 families in hotel rooms after Ian destroyed their homes. As of April 2023, they were housing 963 families in 466 travel trailer units, 227 manufactured homes, and 282 leased apartments. Quinn (below) waited 5 months for a FEMA trailer to become available and has been living there since February just off Fort Myers Beach. In March, FEMA will take the trailer back but he currently does not know where he will live.

Jodi Lapinsky and Annie Meehan both own condo units on the beach that experienced wind and surge damage. They emphasized something that almost all condo buildings along every beach in Southwest Florida are dealing with: special assessments. If a building has damage, all the unit owners will have to pay their share of the building’s repairs, which can mean thousands of dollars in special assessments on top of their regular homeowner’s association fees. Annie says her HOA fees have increased from $850 to $1350 per year and her building has had assessments totaling $32,000 for each unit so far. 

 

Jodi’s condo building has had assessments totaling $25,000 and she says they are far from done repairing. She has been frustrated with the progress but understands that the people in charge have never had to do this before. Their association president is “just a regular guy” who has no experience coordinating large-scale repairs or negotiating with insurance companies. 

 

Owners of condos must pay their assessments or they will have to sell. On top of assessments for repairing structural damage, pools, and roofs, each condo owner is also  responsible for their own internal unit damage. While insurance covers a lot of the damage, there are things like landscaping and pool repairs that are often not covered. 

 

The slow repair process of these condo buildings along Fort Myers Beach and other affected coastal areas highlights another issue. Many of these condos are vacation rentals or homes that attract tourists to the area. It is difficult for businesses to restart and survive when all the places that tourists usually stay are uninhabitable for the time being. 

Jodi Lapinsky and Annie Meehan both own condo units on the beach that experienced wind and surge damage. They emphasized something that almost all condo buildings along every beach in Southwest Florida are dealing with: special assessments. If a building has damage, all the unit owners will have to pay their share of the building’s repairs, which can mean thousands of dollars in special assessments on top of their regular homeowner’s association fees. Annie says her HOA fees have increased from $850 to $1350 per year and her building has had assessments totaling $32,000 for each unit so far. 

 

Jodi’s condo building has had assessments totaling $25,000 and she says they are far from done repairing. She has been frustrated with the progress but understands that the people in charge have never had to do this before. Their association president is “just a regular guy” who has no experience coordinating large-scale repairs or negotiating with insurance companies. 

 

Owners of condos must pay their assessments or they will have to sell. On top of assessments for repairing structural damage, pools, and roofs, each condo owner is also  responsible for their own internal unit damage. While insurance covers a lot of the damage, there are things like landscaping and pool repairs that are often not covered. 

 

The slow repair process of these condo buildings along Fort Myers Beach and other affected coastal areas highlights another issue. Many of these condos are vacation rentals or homes that attract tourists to the area. It is difficult for businesses to restart and survive when all the places that tourists usually stay are uninhabitable for the time being. 

Jodi Lapinsky and Annie Meehan both own condo units on the beach that experienced wind and surge damage. They emphasized something that almost all condo buildings along every beach in Southwest Florida are dealing with: special assessments. If a building has damage, all the unit owners will have to pay their share of the building’s repairs, which can mean thousands of dollars in special assessments on top of their regular homeowner’s association fees. Annie says her HOA fees have increased from $850 to $1350 per year and her building has had assessments totaling $32,000 for each unit so far. 

 

Jodi’s condo building has had assessments totaling $25,000 and she says they are far from done repairing. She has been frustrated with the progress but understands that the people in charge have never had to do this before. Their association president is “just a regular guy” who has no experience coordinating large-scale repairs or negotiating with insurance companies. 

 

Owners of condos must pay their assessments or they will have to sell. On top of assessments for repairing structural damage, pools, and roofs, each condo owner is also  responsible for their own internal unit damage. While insurance covers a lot of the damage, there are things like landscaping and pool repairs that are often not covered. 

 

The slow repair process of these condo buildings along Fort Myers Beach and other affected coastal areas highlights another issue. Many of these condos are vacation rentals or homes that attract tourists to the area. It is difficult for businesses to restart and survive when all the places that tourists usually stay are uninhabitable for the time being. 

Although the recovery process is difficult and sometimes extremely frustrating, most people share the same sentiment; they are just thankful that they survived the storm at all. Shirley Akins, a resident of Sanibel Island, where we will travel next, shared the tragic story of her good friend, Martha Campbell, a victim of Hurricane Ian. 

 

Shirley saw her friend Martha, 74, in Kentucky about 4 days before the storm hit. They met for a gathering of old friends in Maysville, where they both grew up. Martha knew the storm was headed towards Florida and her three cats were back in her home on Fort Myers Beach. She decided to fly back early on Saturday so that she could prepare for the storm and decide what to do. 

 

Since all their friends had just seen each other that week, they kept in touch, texting back and forth. They were asking Martha if she was going to stay or evacuate. She said she had decided to stay because she didn’t want to get caught off-island and she thought it was probably going to hit Tampa anyway. Martha’s brother, who lived not far down the road from her, also stayed. Around 9:00 am, she texted Shirley “I feel secure and I feel safe.” Martha had a home that was elevated on 8-foot stilts so she thought that even if there was flooding, the house would be fine. 

 

Shirley says “she was ready in any emergency. There was never a time when Martha was not prepared.” That morning, she parked her car at the 7/11 to protect it in case there was flooding. She started to see the water coming in and told Shirley that she predicted her landscaping would be destroyed. Around 11:00 am, Shirley received a text from Martha that read “THIS IS BAD.” At 12:37, Shirley received the last text from Martha that read “I’m in the tub. I have my phone wrapped in plastic and my house is falling apart.” It did not matter how prepared Martha was, the 18 foot surge was too much for her home to handle.

 

Her brother’s house was also washed away. Along with two of his neighbors, he escaped the house as it was falling apart. After losing his neighbors in the surge, he grabbed hold of a tree and pulled himself up the steps of a different house. He saw a hand float by and was able to pull one of his neighbors out. They stayed there, hanging onto the tree until the water receded. He could see his sister’s home collapsing into the water down the road, no knowledge of where his sister was. 

 

The next day, Shirley stayed by the TV and the phone, waiting for any word on Martha. There were many rumors that they had found her safe. They did find her purse and one of her cats that was walking down the road. But the good news Shirley had hoped for never came. 

 

Two weeks later, Martha’s body was found in the mangroves. Her home, with her inside of it, was pushed away from the ocean into the bay behind the island.



Although the recovery process is difficult and sometimes extremely frustrating, most people share the same sentiment; they are just thankful that they survived the storm at all. Shirley Akins, a resident of Sanibel Island, where we will travel next, shared the tragic story of her good friend, Martha Campbell, a victim of Hurricane Ian. 

 

Shirley saw her friend Martha, 74, in Kentucky about 4 days before the storm hit. They met for a gathering of old friends in Maysville, where they both grew up. Martha knew the storm was headed towards Florida and her three cats were back in her home on Fort Myers Beach. She decided to fly back early on Saturday so that she could prepare for the storm and decide what to do. 

 

Since all their friends had just seen each other that week, they kept in touch, texting back and forth. They were asking Martha if she was going to stay or evacuate. She said she had decided to stay because she didn’t want to get caught off-island and she thought it was probably going to hit Tampa anyway. Martha’s brother, who lived not far down the road from her, also stayed. Around 9:00 am, she texted Shirley “I feel secure and I feel safe.” Martha had a home that was elevated on 8-foot stilts so she thought that even if there was flooding, the house would be fine. 

 

Shirley says “she was ready in any emergency. There was never a time when Martha was not prepared.” That morning, she parked her car at the 7/11 to protect it in case there was flooding. She started to see the water coming in and told Shirley that she predicted her landscaping would be destroyed. Around 11:00 am, Shirley received a text from Martha that read “THIS IS BAD.” At 12:37, Shirley received the last text from Martha that read “I’m in the tub. I have my phone wrapped in plastic and my house is falling apart.” It did not matter how prepared Martha was, the 18 foot surge was too much for her home to handle (picture.

 

Her brother’s house was also washed away. Along with two of his neighbors, he escaped the house as it was falling apart. After losing his neighbors in the surge, he grabbed hold of a tree and pulled himself up the steps of a different house. He saw a hand float by and was able to pull one of his neighbors out. They stayed there, hanging onto the tree until the water receded. He could see his sister’s home collapsing into the water down the road, no knowledge of where his sister was. 

 

The next day, Shirley stayed by the TV and the phone, waiting for any word on Martha. There were many rumors that they had found her safe. They did find her purse and one of her cats that was walking down the road. But the good news Shirley had hoped for never came. 

 

Two weeks later, Martha’s body was found in the mangroves. Her home with her inside of it was pushed away from the ocean into the bay behind the island.

Although the recovery process is difficult and sometimes extremely frustrating, most people share the same sentiment; they are just thankful that they survived the storm at all. Shirley Akins, a resident of Sanibel Island, where we will travel next, shared the tragic story of her good friend, Martha Campbell, a victim of Hurricane Ian. 

 

Shirley saw her friend Martha, 74, in Kentucky about 4 days before the storm hit. They met for a gathering of old friends in Maysville, where they both grew up. Martha knew the storm was headed towards Florida and her three cats were back in her home on Fort Myers Beach. She decided to fly back early on Saturday so that she could prepare for the storm and decide what to do. 

 

Since all their friends had just seen each other that week, they kept in touch, texting back and forth. They were asking Martha if she was going to stay or evacuate. She said she had decided to stay because she didn’t want to get caught off-island and she thought it was probably going to hit Tampa anyway. Martha’s brother, who lived not far down the road from her, also stayed. Around 9:00 am, she texted Shirley “I feel secure and I feel safe.” Martha had a home that was elevated on 8-foot stilts so she thought that even if there was flooding, the house would be fine. 

 

Shirley says “she was ready in any emergency. There was never a time when Martha was not prepared.” That morning, she parked her car at the 7/11 to protect it in case there was flooding. She started to see the water coming in and told Shirley that she predicted her landscaping would be destroyed. Around 11:00 am, Shirley received a text from Martha that read “THIS IS BAD.” At 12:37, Shirley received the last text from Martha that read “I’m in the tub. I have my phone wrapped in plastic and my house is falling apart.” It did not matter how prepared Martha was, the 18 foot surge was too much for her home to handle.

 

Her brother’s house was also washed away. Along with two of his neighbors, he escaped the house as it was falling apart. After losing his neighbors in the surge, he grabbed hold of a tree and pulled himself up the steps of a different house. He saw a hand float by and was able to pull one of his neighbors out. They stayed there, hanging onto the tree until the water receded. He could see his sister’s home collapsing into the water down the road, no knowledge of where his sister was. 

 

The next day, Shirley stayed by the TV and the phone, waiting for any word on Martha. There were many rumors that they had found her safe. They did find her purse and one of her cats that was walking down the road. But the good news Shirley had hoped for never came. 

 

Two weeks later, Martha’s body was found in the mangroves. Her home, with her inside of it, was pushed away from the ocean into the bay behind the island.



Although the recovery process is difficult and sometimes extremely frustrating, most people share the same sentiment; they are just thankful that they survived the storm at all. Shirley Akins, a resident of Sanibel Island, where we will travel next, shared the tragic story of her good friend, Martha Campbell, a victim of Hurricane Ian. 

 

Shirley saw her friend Martha, 74, in Kentucky about 4 days before the storm hit. They met for a gathering of old friends in Maysville, where they both grew up. Martha knew the storm was headed towards Florida and her three cats were back in her home on Fort Myers Beach. She decided to fly back early on Saturday so that she could prepare for the storm and decide what to do. 

 

Since all their friends had just seen each other that week, they kept in touch, texting back and forth. They were asking Martha if she was going to stay or evacuate. She said she had decided to stay because she didn’t want to get caught off-island and she thought it was probably going to hit Tampa anyway. Martha’s brother, who lived not far down the road from her, also stayed. Around 9:00 am, she texted Shirley “I feel secure and I feel safe.” Martha had a home that was elevated on 8-foot stilts so she thought that even if there was flooding, the house would be fine. 

 

Shirley says “she was ready in any emergency. There was never a time when Martha was not prepared.” That morning, she parked her car at the 7/11 to protect it in case there was flooding. She started to see the water coming in and told Shirley that she predicted her landscaping would be destroyed. Around 11:00 am, Shirley received a text from Martha that read “THIS IS BAD.” At 12:37, Shirley received the last text from Martha that read “I’m in the tub. I have my phone wrapped in plastic and my house is falling apart.” It did not matter how prepared Martha was, the 18 foot surge was too much for her home to handle.

 

Her brother’s house was also washed away. Along with two of his neighbors, he escaped the house as it was falling apart. After losing his neighbors in the surge, he grabbed hold of a tree and pulled himself up the steps of a different house. He saw a hand float by and was able to pull one of his neighbors out. They stayed there, hanging onto the tree until the water receded. He could see his sister’s home collapsing into the water down the road, no knowledge of where his sister was. 

 

The next day, Shirley stayed by the TV and the phone, waiting for any word on Martha. There were many rumors that they had found her safe. They did find her purse and one of her cats that was walking down the road. But the good news Shirley had hoped for never came. 

 

Two weeks later, Martha’s body was found in the mangroves. Her home, with her inside of it, was pushed away from the ocean into the bay behind the island.



Although the recovery process is difficult and sometimes extremely frustrating, most people share the same sentiment; they are just thankful that they survived the storm at all. Shirley Akins, a resident of Sanibel Island, where we will travel next, shared the tragic story of her good friend, Martha Campbell, a victim of Hurricane Ian. 

 

Shirley saw her friend Martha, 74, in Kentucky about 4 days before the storm hit. They met for a gathering of old friends in Maysville, where they both grew up. Martha knew the storm was headed towards Florida and her three cats were back in her home on Fort Myers Beach. She decided to fly back early on Saturday so that she could prepare for the storm and decide what to do. 

 

Since all their friends had just seen each other that week, they kept in touch, texting back and forth. They were asking Martha if she was going to stay or evacuate. She said she had decided to stay because she didn’t want to get caught off-island and she thought it was probably going to hit Tampa anyway. Martha’s brother, who lived not far down the road from her, also stayed. Around 9:00 am, she texted Shirley “I feel secure and I feel safe.” Martha had a home that was elevated on 8-foot stilts so she thought that even if there was flooding, the house would be fine. 

 

Shirley says “she was ready in any emergency. There was never a time when Martha was not prepared.” That morning, she parked her car at the 7/11 to protect it in case there was flooding. She started to see the water coming in and told Shirley that she predicted her landscaping would be destroyed. Around 11:00 am, Shirley received a text from Martha that read “THIS IS BAD.” At 12:37, Shirley received the last text from Martha that read “I’m in the tub. I have my phone wrapped in plastic and my house is falling apart.” It did not matter how prepared Martha was, the 18 foot surge was too much for her home to handle (picture.

 

Her brother’s house was also washed away. Along with two of his neighbors, he escaped the house as it was falling apart. After losing his neighbors in the surge, he grabbed hold of a tree and pulled himself up the steps of a different house. He saw a hand float by and was able to pull one of his neighbors out. They stayed there, hanging onto the tree until the water receded. He could see his sister’s home collapsing into the water down the road, no knowledge of where his sister was. 

 

The next day, Shirley stayed by the TV and the phone, waiting for any word on Martha. There were many rumors that they had found her safe. They did find her purse and one of her cats that was walking down the road. But the good news Shirley had hoped for never came. 

 

Two weeks later, Martha’s body was found in the mangroves. Her home, with her inside of it, was pushed away from the ocean into the bay behind the island.

These are just a few of the hundreds of experiences from one of the hardest hit areas of Southwest Florida. Across the Gulf is Sanibel Island, another place that was devastated by Hurricane Ian. It is an idyllic place, with much of the island preserved for the abundance of wildlife that lives there.

These are just a few of the hundreds of experiences from one of the hardest hit areas of Southwest Florida. Across the Gulf is Sanibel Island, another place that was devastated by Hurricane Ian. It is an idyllic place, with much of the island preserved for the abundance of wildlife that lives there.

These are just a few of the hundreds of experiences from one of the hardest hit areas of Southwest Florida. Across the Gulf is Sanibel Island, another place that was devastated by Hurricane Ian. It is an idyllic place, with much of the island preserved for the abundance of wildlife that lives there.

These are just a few of the hundreds of experiences from one of the hardest hit areas of Southwest Florida. Across the Gulf is Sanibel Island, another place that was devastated by Hurricane Ian. It is an idyllic place, with much of the island preserved for the abundance of wildlife that lives there.

These are just a few of the hundreds of experiences from one of the hardest hit areas of Southwest Florida. Across the Gulf is Sanibel Island, another place that was devastated by Hurricane Ian. It is an idyllic place, with much of the island preserved for the abundance of wildlife that lives there.

Sanibel Island is always vulnerable to storms especially because the sole way off by car is a 3 mile causeway connecting it to Ft. Myers. It is estimated that 1,200 people stayed on Sanibel, becoming trapped on the island when the surge caused the 3 bridges and small connecting islands to be split in 4 places. It was one of the most shocking pieces of news for many after the storm and resulted in some of the most eerie photographs. Islanders were allowed to travel back to the island by boat, before the bridge was accessible, 6 days after the storm. The bridge to the mainland was in use, miraculously, 15 days after the storm but major construction work continues on the structures and the islands connecting them.



Sanibel Island is always vulnerable to storms especially because the sole way off by car is a 3 mile causeway connecting it to Ft. Myers. It is estimated that 1,200 people stayed on Sanibel, becoming trapped on the island when the surge caused the 3 bridges and small connecting islands to be split in 4 places. It was one of the most shocking pieces of news for many after the storm and resulted in some of the most eerie photographs (below). Islanders were allowed to travel back to the island by boat, before the bridge was accessible, 6 days after the storm. The bridge to the mainland was in use, miraculously, 15 days after the storm but major construction work continues on the structures and the islands connecting them.



Sanibel Island is always vulnerable to storms especially because the sole way off by car is a 3 mile causeway connecting it to Ft. Myers. It is estimated that 1,200 people stayed on Sanibel, becoming trapped on the island when the surge caused the 3 bridges and small connecting islands to be split in 4 places. It was one of the most shocking pieces of news for many after the storm and resulted in some of the most eerie photographs (below). Islanders were allowed to travel back to the island by boat, before the bridge was accessible, 6 days after the storm. The bridge to the mainland was in use, miraculously, 15 days after the storm but major construction work continues on the structures and the islands connecting them.

Richard Johnson, mayor of Sanibel, says of the recovery process “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

 

Johnson and his family also own Bailey’s General Store which has been the island’s beloved grocery store since 1899. Johnson and his family were probably some of the last people that decided to evacuate from Sanibel. They drove across the bridge in a caravan of about 6 or 7 vehicles through strong winds at about 10:00 a.m. on the day of the storm. 

 

Prior to the storm, they were in the process of updating Bailey’s. The building permits were scheduled to be picked up the Friday after the storm hit. While the remodel was going to be extensive, there were no plans to elevate the building. After the storm, the family came back to the island, hopeful. From a distance, the outside of the building appeared fine. Johnson said to his daughter “this doesn’t look that bad, I think we’re ok!” Once they reached the building and looked inside, they realized the floodwater had filled the entire structure. “We were always the business that survived hurricanes, and red tide, and Covid. Unfortunately this time we did not survive it,” Johnson says. 

 

Everything inside was destroyed. The glass deli cases had floated around and the grocery items were everywhere inside the store. The old ice machine was perched on top of the cash registers. Johnson says he wasn’t sure where he was at times once he got into the building. Miraculously, there was an original brass cash register from the earlier days of Bailey’s that never moved from its place on the countertop. “It was surreal beyond comprehension that we had that much water.”

 

3 days after the storm, once they realized the extent of the damages, Johnson hired a public insurance adjuster to represent the family’s 3 homes and the business. Public adjusters help to assess the amount of money owed and settle the claim in the policy holder’s favor. His own home fared well with only a few inches of flooding and some roof damage, but his daughter’s had more extensive damage. When asked if insurance fought on the settlement amounts, Johnson says “of course they did, they didn’t want to pay for this, and they didn’t want to pay for that…We only just settled the loss at Bailey’s a few weeks ago.”

 




Richard Johnson, mayor of Sanibel, says of the recovery process “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

 

Johnson and his family also own Bailey’s General Store which has been the island’s beloved grocery store since 1899. Johnson and his family were probably some of the last people that decided to evacuate from Sanibel. They drove across the bridge in a caravan of about 6 or 7 vehicles through strong winds at about 10:00 a.m. on the day of the storm. 

 

Prior to the storm, they were in the process of updating Bailey’s. The building permits were scheduled to be picked up the Friday after the storm hit. While the remodel was going to be extensive, there were no plans to elevate the building. After the storm, the family came back to the island, hopeful. From a distance, the outside of the building appeared fine. Johnson said to his daughter “this doesn’t look that bad, I think we’re ok!” Once they reached the building and looked inside, they realized the floodwater had filled the entire structure. “We were always the business that survived hurricanes, and red tide, and Covid. Unfortunately this time we did not survive it,” Johnson says. 

 

Everything inside was destroyed. The glass deli cases had floated around and the grocery items were everywhere inside the store. The old ice machine was perched on top of the cash registers. Johnson says he wasn’t sure where he was at times once he got into the building. Miraculously, there was an original brass cash register from the earlier days of Bailey’s that never moved from its place on the countertop. “It was surreal beyond comprehension that we had that much water.”

 

3 days after the storm, once they realized the extent of the damages, Johnson hired a public insurance adjuster to represent the family’s 3 homes and the business. Public adjusters help to assess the amount of money owed and settle the claim in the policy holder’s favor. His own home fared well with only a few inches of flooding and some roof damage, but his daughter’s had more extensive damage. When asked if insurance fought on the settlement amounts, Johnson says “of course they did, they didn’t want to pay for this, and they didn’t want to pay for that…We only just settled the loss at Bailey’s a few weeks ago.”

Richard Johnson, mayor of Sanibel, says of the recovery process “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

 

Johnson and his family also own Bailey’s General Store which has been the island’s beloved grocery store since 1899. Johnson and his family were probably some of the last people that decided to evacuate from Sanibel. They drove across the bridge in a caravan of about 6 or 7 vehicles through strong winds at about 10:00 a.m. on the day of the storm. 

 

Prior to the storm, they were in the process of updating Bailey’s. The building permits were scheduled to be picked up the Friday after the storm hit. While the remodel was going to be extensive, there were no plans to elevate the building. After the storm, the family came back to the island, hopeful. From a distance, the outside of the building appeared fine. Johnson said to his daughter “this doesn’t look that bad, I think we’re ok!” Once they reached the building and looked inside, they realized the floodwater had filled the entire structure. “We were always the business that survived hurricanes, and red tide, and Covid. Unfortunately this time we did not survive it,” Johnson says. 

 

Everything inside was destroyed. The glass deli cases had floated around and the grocery items were everywhere inside the store. The old ice machine was perched on top of the cash registers. Johnson says he wasn’t sure where he was at times once he got into the building. Miraculously, there was an original brass cash register from the earlier days of Bailey’s that never moved from its place on the countertop. “It was surreal beyond comprehension that we had that much water.”

 

3 days after the storm, once they realized the extent of the damages, Johnson hired a public insurance adjuster to represent the family’s 3 homes and the business. Public adjusters help to assess the amount of money owed and settle the claim in the policy holder’s favor. His own home fared well with only a few inches of flooding and some roof damage, but his daughter’s had more extensive damage. When asked if insurance fought on the settlement amounts, Johnson says “of course they did, they didn’t want to pay for this, and they didn’t want to pay for that…We only just settled the loss at Bailey’s a few weeks ago.”

 




During the summer of 2023, what was left of Bailey’s was demolished, leaving patrons to wait patiently until the store reopens. Johnson estimates that it will take about two years to rebuild the plaza, but this time it will be built up on 10 foot stilts. They are currently in the planning process with contractors. The speed of the rebuild of Bailey’s along with the other businesses and homes in Southwest Florida depends on a lot of factors, including material shortages and worker availability. Even so, they hope to break ground on the new Bailey’s store by the end of this year. Johnson says the goal is to reopen sometime in the middle of 2025. 

 

While the storm destroyed a staple business of the island, Ian gave them an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient building. Johnson is looking forward to the future, despite how difficult it was for his family to see the destruction of the old Bailey’s building. He worries about those redoing ground floor homes and says that more significant hurricanes are inevitable. 

 

Bonnee Strunc lives in a ground floor home near the causeway. Bonnee evacuated for Irma but decided to stay for Ian. The same surge was predicted for Hurricane Irma in 2017, but it was a false alarm. Bonnee figured that it would be the same story and that she was safe to stay.


The morning of September 28, she roped her whaler to her dock. When the storm started to pick up in the morning, she went over to her neighbor’s home which was also ground level. Before leaving her home, she got 3 life jackets out of her garage. Bonnee, 80, endured the storm with Jody, also 80, and Karen who is in her late 50s. When the water started to rise, they climbed into an attic space in the garage. Karen took a sledgehammer with her, thinking they might have to hammer a hole through the roof to escape the water. Others who stayed on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel actually did hammer escape holes through their roofs. 

 

The water continued to rise but the three women decided it was not safe in the garage with the car that was flooding. “The saltwater was getting into the gas tank of the truck so we were scared it would blow up or there might be gas.” They jumped down and waded through waist deep water in the garage to get into the house. 

 

Bonnee says she remembers the terrible smell of the dark water. The three ladies and Bonnee’s King Charles Spaniel thankfully all had life jackets on as furniture floated around them. The 3 women and her dog went into the bathroom for the rest of the storm and waited. 

 

Karen broke the glass on the bathroom window in case the water came up higher and they needed to escape and duct-taped them together to prevent them getting separated. Once the water rose to a certain point, doors were stuck closed due to the pressure. Bonnee thinks they would not have survived if they had to go outside the house. Inside, protected from the wind, the water moved slowly, creeping up to Bonnee’s neck. “It was 5 hours, we waited in that black water. We looked out and there were boats floating by and trees and we just stood there and waited for it to recede.” Finally around sunset, the water started to go down.



During the summer of 2023, what was left of Bailey’s was demolished, leaving patrons to wait patiently until the store reopens. Johnson estimates that it will take about two years to rebuild the plaza, but this time it will be built up on 10 foot stilts. They are currently in the planning process with contractors. The speed of the rebuild of Bailey’s along with the other businesses and homes in Southwest Florida depends on a lot of factors, including material shortages and worker availability. Even so, they hope to break ground on the new Bailey’s store by the end of this year. Johnson says the goal is to reopen sometime in the middle of 2025. 

 

While the storm destroyed a staple business of the island, Ian gave them an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient building. Johnson is looking forward to the future, despite how difficult it was for his family to see the destruction of the old Bailey’s building. He worries about those redoing ground floor homes and says that more significant hurricanes are inevitable. 

 

Bonnee Strunc lives in a ground floor home near the causeway. Bonnee evacuated for Irma but decided to stay for Ian. The same surge was predicted for Hurricane Irma in 2017, but it was a false alarm. Bonnee figured that it would be the same story and that she was safe to stay.


The morning of September 28, she roped her whaler to her dock. When the storm started to pick up in the morning, she went over to her neighbor’s home which was also ground level. Before leaving her home, she got 3 life jackets out of her garage. Bonnee, 80, endured the storm with Jody, also 80, and Karen who is in her late 50s. When the water started to rise, they climbed into an attic space in the garage. Karen took a sledgehammer with her, thinking they might have to hammer a hole through the roof to escape the water. Others who stayed on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel actually did hammer escape holes through their roofs. 

 

The water continued to rise but the three women decided it was not safe in the garage with the car that was flooding. “The saltwater was getting into the gas tank of the truck so we were scared it would blow up or there might be gas.” They jumped down and waded through waist deep water in the garage to get into the house. 

 

Bonnee says she remembers the terrible smell of the dark water. The three ladies and Bonnee’s King Charles Spaniel thankfully all had life jackets on as furniture floated around them. The 3 women and her dog went into the bathroom for the rest of the storm and waited. 

 

Karen broke the glass on the bathroom window in case the water came up higher and they needed to escape and duct-taped them together to prevent them getting separated. Once the water rose to a certain point, doors were stuck closed due to the pressure. Bonnee thinks they would not have survived if they had to go outside the house. Inside, protected from the wind, the water moved slowly, creeping up to Bonnee’s neck. “It was 5 hours, we waited in that black water. We looked out and there were boats floating by and trees and we just stood there and waited for it to recede.” Finally around sunset, the water started to go down.



During the summer of 2023, what was left of Bailey’s was demolished, leaving patrons to wait patiently until the store reopens. Johnson estimates that it will take about two years to rebuild the plaza, but this time it will be built up on 10 foot stilts. They are currently in the planning process with contractors. The speed of the rebuild of Bailey’s along with the other businesses and homes in Southwest Florida depends on a lot of factors, including material shortages and worker availability. Even so, they hope to break ground on the new Bailey’s store by the end of this year. Johnson says the goal is to reopen sometime in the middle of 2025. 

 

While the storm destroyed a staple business of the island, Ian gave them an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient building. Johnson is looking forward to the future, despite how difficult it was for his family to see the destruction of the old Bailey’s building. He worries about those redoing ground floor homes and says that more significant hurricanes are inevitable. 

 

Bonnee Strunc lives in a ground floor home near the causeway. Bonnee evacuated for Irma but decided to stay for Ian. The same surge was predicted for Hurricane Irma in 2017, but it was a false alarm. Bonnee figured that it would be the same story and that she was safe to stay.


The morning of September 28, she roped her whaler to her dock. When the storm started to pick up in the morning, she went over to her neighbor’s home which was also ground level. Before leaving her home, she got 3 life jackets out of her garage. Bonnee, 80, endured the storm with Jody, also 80, and Karen who is in her late 50s. When the water started to rise, they climbed into an attic space in the garage. Karen took a sledgehammer with her, thinking they might have to hammer a hole through the roof to escape the water. Others who stayed on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel actually did hammer escape holes through their roofs. 

 

The water continued to rise but the three women decided it was not safe in the garage with the car that was flooding. “The saltwater was getting into the gas tank of the truck so we were scared it would blow up or there might be gas.” They jumped down and waded through waist deep water in the garage to get into the house. 

 

Strunc says she remembers the terrible smell of the dark water. The three ladies and Strunc’s King Charles Spaniel thankfully all had life jackets on as furniture floated around them. The 3 women and dog went into the bathroom for the rest of the storm and waited. 

 

Karen broke the glass on the bathroom window in case the water came up higher and they needed to escape and duct-taped them together to prevent them getting separated. Once the water rose to a certain point, doors were stuck closed due to the pressure. Strunc thinks they would not have survived if they had to go outside the house. Inside, protected from the wind, the water moved slowly, creeping up to Bonnee’s neck. “It was 5 hours, we waited in that black water. We looked out and there were boats floating by and trees and we just stood there and waited for it to recede.” Finally around sunset, the water started to go down.

During the summer of 2023, what was left of Bailey’s was demolished, leaving patrons to wait patiently until the store reopens. Johnson estimates that it will take about two years to rebuild the plaza, but this time it will be built up on 10 foot stilts. They are currently in the planning process with contractors. The speed of the rebuild of Bailey’s along with the other businesses and homes in Southwest Florida depends on a lot of factors, including material shortages and worker availability. Even so, they hope to break ground on the new Bailey’s store by the end of this year. Johnson says the goal is to reopen sometime in the middle of 2025. 

 

While the storm destroyed a staple business of the island, Ian gave them an opportunity to build a stronger, more resilient building. Johnson is looking forward to the future, despite how difficult it was for his family to see the destruction of the old Bailey’s building. He worries about those redoing ground floor homes and says that more significant hurricanes are inevitable. 

 

Bonnee Strunc lives in a ground floor home near the causeway. Bonnee evacuated for Irma but decided to stay for Ian. The same surge was predicted for Hurricane Irma in 2017, but it was a false alarm. Bonnee figured that it would be the same story and that she was safe to stay.


The morning of September 28, she roped her whaler to her dock. When the storm started to pick up in the morning, she went over to her neighbor’s home which was also ground level. Before leaving her home, she got 3 life jackets out of her garage. Bonnee, 80, endured the storm with Jody, also 80, and Karen who is in her late 50s. When the water started to rise, they climbed into an attic space in the garage. Karen took a sledgehammer with her, thinking they might have to hammer a hole through the roof to escape the water. Others who stayed on Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel actually did hammer escape holes through their roofs. 

 

The water continued to rise but the three women decided it was not safe in the garage with the car that was flooding. “The saltwater was getting into the gas tank of the truck so we were scared it would blow up or there might be gas.” They jumped down and waded through waist deep water in the garage to get into the house. 

 

Bonnee says she remembers the terrible smell of the dark water. The three ladies and Bonnee’s King Charles Spaniel thankfully all had life jackets on as furniture floated around them. The 3 women and dog went into the bathroom for the rest of the storm and waited. 

 

Karen broke the glass on the bathroom window in case the water came up higher and they needed to escape and duct-taped them together to prevent them getting separated. Once the water rose to a certain point, doors were stuck closed due to the pressure. Bonnee thinks they would not have survived if they had to go outside the house. Inside, protected from the wind, the water moved slowly, creeping up to Bonnee’s neck. “It was 5 hours, we waited in that black water. We looked out and there were boats floating by and trees and we just stood there and waited for it to recede.” Finally around sunset, the water started to go down.

The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Strunc went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Strunc went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Strunc went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Strunc went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The aftermath inside her home, taken by Bonnee

The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Bonnee (below) went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Bonnee (below) went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts.

The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere (below). While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Bonnee (below) went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 

The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere. While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Bonnee (below) went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



The next morning Bonnee went back to her own home to find it completely ruined, furniture in disarray and mud everywhere (left). While the rope succeeded in keeping her boat near the house, it flipped off the lift and impaled in her yard. “I had fish and furniture, not my furniture, in my pool.”

 

Bonnee’s son, in Virginia, had been watching the Sanibel street cameras that were installed for people to watch traffic. On each street cam, the water could be seen rising. Her son was worried that his mother had not survived. Karen biked down to the fire station a couple miles away and tried to contact people they knew to let them know they had survived. 

 

Luckily, despite Bonnee’s harrowing experience during the storm, she moved back into her fully restored home 11 months after the storm. Strunc (below) went back up north after she was rescued from the island by boat and spent days on the phone with insurance companies, insisting that they go look at her home first. She says that those who’s adjusters got there first were the luckiest with payouts. 



However, the home that became her refuge during the storm is still gutted down to its wooden studs (right). Karen’s brother owns the home and was not as lucky with insurance. Along with many others on the island, he has not started his rebuild yet. The glass on the bathroom window is still broken from when the three women were planning their escape route. 

 

Bonnee’s friends down the street from her, decided during the summer of 2022 that their flood insurance had gotten too expensive. Bonnee said “You must be out of your mind!” They decided not to renew their flood insurance and went through Ian uninsured. They had to sell their home because they were unable to afford to repair the damage. 

 

“You have to be really strong and you have to be resilient. Being resilient has kept me alive but it’s getting low.” When asked if she would rebuild if another storm happened she said “if it does, I’m done, I’ll never do this again.”



However, the home that became her refuge during the storm is still gutted down to its wooden studs (right). Karen’s brother owns the home and was not as lucky with insurance. Along with many others on the island, he has not started his rebuild yet. The glass on the bathroom window is still broken from when the three women were planning their escape route. 

 

Bonnee’s friends down the street from her, decided during the summer of 2022 that their flood insurance had gotten too expensive. Strunc said “You must be out of your mind!” They decided not to renew their flood insurance and went through Ian uninsured. They had to sell their home because they were unable to afford to repair the damage. 

 

“You have to be really strong and you have to be resilient. Being resilient has kept me alive but it’s getting low.” When asked if she would rebuild if another storm happened she said “if it does, I’m done, I’ll never do this again.”



However, the home that became her refuge during the storm is still gutted down to its wooden studs (top right). Karen’s brother owns the home and was not as lucky with insurance. Along with many others on the island, he has not started his rebuild yet. The glass on the bathroom window is still broken from when the three women were planning their escape route. 

 

Bonnee’s friends down the street from her, decided during the summer of 2022 that their flood insurance had gotten too expensive. Strunc said “You must be out of your mind!” They decided not to renew their flood insurance and went through Ian uninsured. They had to sell their home because they were unable to afford to repair the damage. 

 

“You have to be really strong and you have to be resilient. Being resilient has kept me alive but it’s getting low.” When asked if she would rebuild if another storm happened she said “if it does, I’m done, I’ll never do this again.”



However, the home that became her refuge during the storm is still gutted down to its wooden studs (top below). Karen’s brother owns the home and was not as lucky with insurance. Along with many others on the island, he has not started his rebuild yet. The glass on the bathroom window is still broken from when the three women were planning their escape route. 

 

Bonnee’s friends down the street from her, decided during the summer of 2022 that their flood insurance had gotten too expensive. Bonnee said “You must be out of your mind!” They decided not to renew their flood insurance and went through Ian uninsured. They had to sell their home because they were unable to afford to repair the damage. 

 

“You have to be really strong and you have to be resilient. Being resilient has kept me alive but it’s getting low.” When asked if she would rebuild if another storm happened she said “if it does, I’m done, I’ll never do this again.”



However, the home that became her refuge during the storm is still gutted down to its wooden studs (right). Karen’s brother owns the home and was not as lucky with insurance. Along with many others on the island, he has not started his rebuild yet. The glass on the bathroom window is still broken from when the three women were planning their escape route. 

 

Bonnee’s friends down the street from her, decided during the summer of 2022 that their flood insurance had gotten too expensive. Strunc said “You must be out of your mind!” They decided not to renew their flood insurance and went through Ian uninsured. They had to sell their home because they were unable to afford to repair the damage. 

 

“You have to be really strong and you have to be resilient. Being resilient has kept me alive but it’s getting low.” When asked if she would rebuild if another storm happened she said “if it does, I’m done, I’ll never do this again.”



As with Fort Myers Beach, there are some homes that were on full stilts, and others that were on half stilts. Annie and Jack Wellauer, a retired couple, moved to Sanibel in 2009 to a neighborhood located mid-island. They bought a home that was built up about 4 feet. The water line in their neighborhood came in at just under 6 feet. They did not stay in the neighborhood, choosing to safely evacuate to Miami. They watched in horror as the national news showed footage of the street cams overtaken by dark water just down the road from their home. Jack says he felt helpless watching the news on their hotel TV, unable to stop the deluge. “We saw the water rise above a stop sign and thought ‘we are doomed.’” 

 

Annie, 76, traveled back to the island by boat 6 days after the storm to survey the damage and found a layer of mud inside her home. Since the island was inaccessible by car for 15 days, it was a while before the wet drywall could be removed, allowing the perfect damp conditions for black mold to flourish. The Wellauer’s house along with almost every other flood-damaged home on the island rapidly grew mold crawling up the walls. This meant the drywall had to be ripped out at the 4 foot mark even though their water line was just 18 inches inside the home.

As with Fort Myers Beach, there are some homes that were on full stilts, and others that were on half stilts. Annie and Jack Wellauer, a retired couple, moved to Sanibel in 2009 to a neighborhood located mid-island. They bought a home that was built up about 4 feet. The water line in their neighborhood came in at just under 6 feet. They did not stay in the neighborhood, choosing to safely evacuate to Miami. They watched in horror as the national news showed footage of the street cams overtaken by dark water just down the road from their home. Jack says he felt helpless watching the news on their hotel TV, unable to stop the deluge. “We saw the water rise above a stop sign and thought ‘we are doomed.’” 

 

Annie, 76, traveled back to the island by boat 6 days after the storm to survey the damage and found a layer of mud inside her home. Since the island was inaccessible by car for 15 days, it was a while before the wet drywall could be removed, allowing the perfect damp conditions for black mold to flourish. The Wellauer’s house along with almost every other flood-damaged home on the island rapidly grew mold crawling up the walls. This meant the drywall had to be ripped out at the 4 foot mark even though their water line was just 18 inches inside the home.

As with Fort Myers Beach, there are some homes that were on full stilts, and others that were on half stilts. Annie and Jack Wellauer, a retired couple, moved to Sanibel in 2009 to a neighborhood located mid-island. They bought a home that was built up about 4 feet. The water line in their neighborhood came in at just under 6 feet. They did not stay in the neighborhood, choosing to safely evacuate to Miami. They watched in horror as the national news showed footage of the street cams overtaken by dark water just down the road from their home. Jack says he felt helpless watching the news on their hotel TV, unable to stop the deluge. “We saw the water rise above a stop sign and thought ‘we are doomed.’” 

 

Annie, 76, traveled back to the island by boat 6 days after the storm to survey the damage and found a layer of mud inside her home. Since the island was inaccessible by car for 15 days, it was a while before the wet drywall could be removed, allowing the perfect damp conditions for black mold to flourish. The Wellauer’s house along with almost every other flood-damaged home on the island rapidly grew mold crawling up the walls. This meant the drywall had to be ripped out at the 4 foot mark even though their water line was just 18 inches inside the home.

As with Fort Myers Beach, there are some homes that were on full stilts, and others that were on half stilts. Annie and Jack Wellauer, a retired couple, moved to Sanibel in 2009 to a neighborhood located mid-island. They bought a home that was built up about 4 feet. The water line in their neighborhood came in at just under 6 feet. They did not stay in the neighborhood, choosing to safely evacuate to Miami. They watched in horror as the national news showed footage of the street cams overtaken by dark water just down the road from their home. Jack says he felt helpless watching the news on their hotel TV, unable to stop the deluge. “We saw the water rise above a stop sign and thought ‘we are doomed.’” 

 

Annie, 76, traveled back to the island by boat 6 days after the storm to survey the damage and found a layer of mud inside her home. Since the island was inaccessible by car for 15 days, it was a while before the wet drywall could be removed, allowing the perfect damp conditions for black mold to flourish. The Wellauer’s house along with almost every other flood-damaged home on the island rapidly grew mold crawling up the walls. This meant the drywall had to be ripped out at the 4 foot mark even though their water line was just 18 inches inside the home.

Annie and Jack, like Bonnee, had a good insurance experience and were able to take control of their rebuild as soon as contractors could access the island. Even with insurance on their side and the ability to move forward, they only moved back into their mostly-finished home on September 15, just days shy of the one year anniversary. 

 

Caryn and Carl (last names redacted) are another retired couple that live off of Casa Ybel on Sanibel, in a stilted home about a mile from the beach. They had a unique experience. Most who had been flooded by the storm were left with black, slippery muck inside their homes like the Wellauers found. Caryn and Carl arrived back to their stilted home to find that there was just some clear water on the floor and thought they had been lucky enough to only have gotten some rain water in their home. They later found out that the water flooded up to the first floor, about 12 feet up, but filtered in through the floor, entering the living area, leaving the mud underneath the house. 

 

The insulation underneath their home had soaked up the flood water and trapped more water above it. “We thought we were in good shape until Carl opened up the ceiling downstairs and Niagara Falls came out.” Their drywall needed to be ripped out about 2 feet up the wall due to mold growth, along with all the cabinets and appliances.



Ann and Jack, like Bonnee, had a good insurance experience and were able to take control of their rebuild as soon as contractors could access the island. Even with insurance on their side and the ability to move forward, they only moved back into their mostly-finished home on September 15, just days shy of the one year anniversary. 

 

Caryn and Carl (last names redacted) are another retired couple that live off of Casa Ybel on Sanibel, in a stilted home about a mile from the beach. They had a unique experience. Most who had been flooded by the storm were left with black, slippery muck inside their homes like the Wellauers found. Caryn and Carl arrived back to their stilted home to find that there was just some clear water on the floor and thought they had been lucky enough to only have gotten some rain water in their home. They later found out that the water flooded up to the first floor, about 12 feet up, but filtered in through the floor, entering the living area, leaving the mud underneath the house. 

 

The insulation underneath their home had soaked up the flood water and trapped more water above it. “We thought we were in good shape until Carl opened up the ceiling downstairs and Niagara Falls came out.” Their drywall needed to be ripped out about 2 feet up the wall due to mold growth, along with all the cabinets and appliances.

Ann and Jack, like Bonnee, had a good insurance experience and were able to take control of their rebuild as soon as contractors could access the island. Even with insurance on their side and the ability to move forward, they only moved back into their mostly-finished home on September 15, just days shy of the one year anniversary. 

 

Caryn and Carl (last names redacted) are another retired couple that live off of Casa Ybel on Sanibel, in a stilted home about a mile from the beach. They had a unique experience. Most who had been flooded by the storm were left with black, slippery muck inside their homes like the Wellauers found. Caryn and Carl arrived back to their stilted home to find that there was just some clear water on the floor and thought they had been lucky enough to only have gotten some rain water in their home. They later found out that the water flooded up to the first floor, about 12 feet up, but filtered in through the floor, entering the living area, leaving the mud underneath the house. 

 

The insulation underneath their home had soaked up the flood water and trapped more water above it. “We thought we were in good shape until Carl opened up the ceiling downstairs and Niagara Falls came out.” Their drywall needed to be ripped out about 2 feet up the wall due to mold growth, along with all the cabinets and appliances.

Like most who were displaced from their homes, they moved around, staying in a friend’s condo for 3 weeks, a coworker’s home for a month, and another friend’s home in Naples for 2 months. They eventually decided to do what a lot of residents of hard hit areas have done; they bought a trailer. If you drive through areas that received major flooding such as Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, you will see trailers parked in many driveways. Only a portion of these trailers are supplied by FEMA for a specific amount of time, like Michael Quinn. Most were bought by the owners themselves.

 

Caryn and Carl lived in the camper in their driveway (right) for 10 months and were able to move back into their home in late August. Their process has not been without issues. Their demolition crew was not sure how to take their fireplace out, so they just left and never showed up again. They are still waiting on the kitchen cabinets and countertops to finish being installed.

 

“On the good days, you laugh about it and say it’s an adventure and on the bad days you say ‘I can’t do this anymore. But we were lucky. We didn’t lose our home and we are ok and we made it,” Caryn says. 





Like most who were displaced from their homes, they moved around, staying in a friend’s condo for 3 weeks, a coworker’s home for a month, and another friend’s home in Naples for 2 months. They eventually decided to do what a lot of residents of hard hit areas have done; they bought a trailer. If you drive through areas that received major flooding such as Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, you will see trailers parked in many driveways. Only a portion of these trailers are supplied by FEMA for a specific amount of time, like Michael Quinn. Most were bought by the owners themselves.

 

Caryn and Carl lived in the camper in their driveway (below) for 10 months and were able to move back into their home in late August. Their process has not been without issues. Their demolition crew was not sure how to take their fireplace out, so they just left and never showed up again. They are still waiting on the kitchen cabinets and countertops to finish being installed.

 

“On the good days, you laugh about it and say it’s an adventure and on the bad days you say ‘I can’t do this anymore. But we were lucky. We didn’t lose our home and we are ok and we made it,” Caryn says. 





Like most who were displaced from their homes, they moved around, staying in a friend’s condo for 3 weeks, a coworker’s home for a month, and another friend’s home in Naples for 2 months. They eventually decided to do what a lot of residents of hard hit areas have done; they bought a trailer. If you drive through areas that received major flooding such as Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel, you will see trailers parked in many driveways. Only a portion of these trailers are supplied by FEMA for a specific amount of time, like Michael Quinn. Most were bought by the owners themselves.

 

Caryn and Carl lived in the camper in their driveway (below) for 10 months and were able to move back into their home in late August. Their process has not been without issues. Their demolition crew was not sure how to take their fireplace out, so they just left and never showed up again. They are still waiting on the kitchen cabinets and countertops to finish being installed.

 

“On the good days, you laugh about it and say it’s an adventure and on the bad days you say ‘I can’t do this anymore. But we were lucky. We didn’t lose our home and we are ok and we made it,” Caryn says. 





Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Brenda Fields is a long time resident of Sanibel. She runs a concierge home services business on the island. When the hurricane started heading towards Florida, she was babysitting her friend’s dog in a condo with a view of the beach on West Gulf Drive. Her story is similar to many of those who decided to stay on Sanibel during the storm. 

 

“Do I pack me and him up in a car and go across alligator alley while there’s tornados dropping and there’s no gas, no food?” 

 

When she was watching the weather on Tuesday night, the local meteorologist said to expect a 9 to 16 foot surge in vulnerable areas. She said to herself, “Oh Brenda, you messed up, you messed up.” By the time she regretted the decision to stay, driving over the causeway had become too risky because of the water and wind. “I still feel like we were told a little too late,” she says. Brenda was the only one who stayed in the building and was not aware of any other people around her who stayed until after the storm had passed. 

 

Brenda, along with many others who did not evacuate, struggles with anxiety and PTSD. She has some memory loss from that day, not sure what she was doing during the storm or at what point she noticed the ocean water rushing under and around the condo. While the surge luckily did not reach her unit on the second floor, it came halfway up the first level. It is estimated that the Gulf side of Sanibel was inundated with 13-15 feet of storm surge.  


 The condo Brenda was in was the only one in the building that did not have damaged or broken windows. She could feel the building shaking, ocean waves crashing into it and tearing off the breakaway walls around the bottom level. After hours of hurricane force winds, the roof peeled back. Water started to drip into the unit from ceiling fans and light fixtures. By the end of the storm, there were 4 inches of rain water at her feet.

 

When the wind finally subsided, around 9 pm, she was able to get enough cell service to contact her friend up north. She asked, “has the eye gone by yet?” When her friend confirmed that she was safe, Brenda said “Ok that’s good because I’m going to cry now.”


The next day, she walked outside to a completely different world. There had been a pool bathroom on the bottom floor; the toilet was across the street stuck in the trees. She found her car had floated across the street too. There were electrical wires, trees, and garbage everywhere: chaos. The ground was covered in slippery mud. She was rescued on Friday, one day after the storm by a private boat captain. After she was taken off the island, Brenda went to the closest available hotel she could find, which was 2 hours away in Tampa. She stayed there for 2 months.

 

Brenda’s place on Sanibel that she had been renting was only able to get power restored after 11 months. Even though her apartment was not flooded in the living area, the electrical box on the lower level was damaged and parts to repair it were backordered. 

 

Brenda is frustrated with those that don’t understand the recovery process takes longer than a few months. “I am disgusted with people thinking after a year that we are back to wonderful. I just look at them and go ‘are you kidding me?’” Brenda points down West Gulf Drive and says the condos down the road have barely been touched since the storm.

Left: Brenda being rescued along with others who stayed on Sanibel, taken by Unknown. Right: Brenda holding her Hurricane Ian Survivor pendant.

Left: Brenda being rescued along with others who stayed on Sanibel, taken by Unknown. Right: Brenda holding her Hurricane Ian Survivor pendant.

Many people are experiencing supply issues and lengthy wait times due to the sheer amount of homes that need extensive repairs. Insurance battles are preventing work from being completed or even started. Some have experienced poor workmanship from workers who are taking advantage of people desperate to have repairs done. 

 

Kathy Biggs, who owns a home on Captiva that got 2 feet of floodwater in the bottom level, has dealt with poor workmanship. Her two balconies had to be rebuilt after the wooden railings were torn off in the wind. Then, when the first big rain storm came since her decks had been repaired, water started seeping into her living room. The decks had not been built properly and had to be fixed again. 

 

While she was not on the island during the storm, Kathy paid a private boat captain $1000 to get her back on the island 3 days later. She arrived on Captiva not knowing what to expect, having gotten little information about the severity of the damage. She found a layer of slippery mud and 2 feet of wet drywall in the bottom level of her home. Kathy was determined to prevent further mold growth so she quickly made sure to open the windows and air out the house. Like Brenda Fields, it was difficult for Kathy to find the necessary parts to restore her electricity and, with it, the AC. “It has been a challenge, there is no doubt about it,” Kathy says as she flicks through hundreds of photos that she had taken of debris all over the roads and mountains of sand piled up  from the surge. 

 

Although many homes on Sanibel need some time to see any progress, Richard Johnson says “I think the island is going to come out on the other side better than we have been before. As a community, we have stood together shoulder to shoulder to get through this- that makes all the difference in the world.” 



Many people are experiencing supply issues and lengthy wait times due to the sheer amount of homes that need extensive repairs. Insurance battles are preventing work from being completed or even started. Some have experienced poor workmanship from workers who are taking advantage of people desperate to have repairs done. 

 

Kathy Biggs, who owns a home on Captiva that got 2 feet of floodwater in the bottom level, has dealt with poor workmanship. Her two balconies had to be rebuilt after the wooden railings were torn off in the wind. Then, when the first big rain storm came since her decks had been repaired, water started seeping into her living room. The decks had not been built properly and had to be fixed again. 

 

While she was not on the island during the storm, Kathy paid a private boat captain $1000 to get her back on the island 3 days later. She arrived on Captiva not knowing what to expect, having gotten little information about the severity of the damage. She found a layer of slippery mud and 2 feet of wet drywall in the bottom level of her home. Kathy was determined to prevent further mold growth so she quickly made sure to open the windows and air out the house. Like Brenda Fields, it was difficult for Kathy to find the necessary parts to restore her electricity and, with it, the AC. “It has been a challenge, there is no doubt about it,” Kathy says as she flicks through hundreds of photos that she had taken of debris all over the roads and mountains of sand piled up  from the surge. 

 

Although many homes on Sanibel need some time to see any progress, Richard Johnson says “I think the island is going to come out on the other side better than we have been before. As a community, we have stood together shoulder to shoulder to get through this- that makes all the difference in the world.” 

Many people are experiencing supply issues and lengthy wait times due to the sheer amount of homes that need extensive repairs. Insurance battles are preventing work from being completed or even started. Some have experienced poor workmanship from workers who are taking advantage of people desperate to have repairs done. 

 

Kathy Biggs, who owns a home on Captiva that got 2 feet of floodwater in the bottom level, has dealt with poor workmanship. Her two balconies had to be rebuilt after the wooden railings were torn off in the wind. Then, when the first big rain storm came since her decks had been repaired, water started seeping into her living room. The decks had not been built properly and had to be fixed again. 

 

While she was not on the island during the storm, Kathy paid a private boat captain $1000 to get her back on the island 3 days later. She arrived on Captiva not knowing what to expect, having gotten little information about the severity of the damage. She found a layer of slippery mud and 2 feet of wet drywall in the bottom level of her home. Kathy was determined to prevent further mold growth so she quickly made sure to open the windows and air out the house. Like Brenda Fields, it was difficult for Kathy to find the necessary parts to restore her electricity and, with it, the AC. “It has been a challenge, there is no doubt about it,” Kathy says as she flicks through hundreds of photos that she had taken of debris all over the roads and mountains of sand piled up  from the surge. 

 

Although many homes on Sanibel need some time to see any progress, Richard Johnson says “I think the island is going to come out on the other side better than we have been before. As a community, we have stood together shoulder to shoulder to get through this- that makes all the difference in the world.” 

Many people are experiencing supply issues and lengthy wait times due to the sheer amount of homes that need extensive repairs. Insurance battles are preventing work from being completed or even started. Some have experienced poor workmanship from workers who are taking advantage of people desperate to have repairs done. 

 

Kathy Biggs, who owns a home on Captiva that got 2 feet of floodwater in the bottom level, has dealt with poor workmanship. Her two balconies had to be rebuilt after the wooden railings were torn off in the wind. Then, when the first big rain storm came since her decks had been repaired, water started seeping into her living room. The decks had not been built properly and had to be fixed again. 

 

While she was not on the island during the storm, Kathy paid a private boat captain $1000 to get her back on the island 3 days later. She arrived on Captiva not knowing what to expect, having gotten little information about the severity of the damage. She found a layer of slippery mud and 2 feet of wet drywall in the bottom level of her home. Kathy was determined to prevent further mold growth so she quickly made sure to open the windows and air out the house. Like Brenda Fields, it was difficult for Kathy to find the necessary parts to restore her electricity and, with it, the AC. “It has been a challenge, there is no doubt about it,” Kathy says as she flicks through hundreds of photos that she had taken of debris all over the roads and mountains of sand piled up  from the surge. 

 

Although many homes on Sanibel need some time to see any progress, Richard Johnson says “I think the island is going to come out on the other side better than we have been before. As a community, we have stood together shoulder to shoulder to get through this- that makes all the difference in the world.” 



Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

Jean Dewalt, after living on Sanibel for years, sold her home a month before Hurricane Ian. Unfortunately, she bought a home in the Iona area, which was also heavily impacted, with over 11 feet of flooding in some neighborhoods. The Dewalts were uninsured since their new house was being remodeled, and they had not moved in yet. They had a damaged pool cage, pool equipment, flooding in their garage, a damaged roof, and lost both cars that were parked in the driveway. They also had a storage unit rented nearby with their belongings in it that was also flooded. Jean estimates they have spent over $65,000 to fix the damage to their home and replace the belongings that they lost.  They applied for FEMA aid but did not qualify to receive any funds.


Jean’s husband, on the enormity of the situation, says “unless you’ve lived it, you can’t blame people for not getting it, it’s incomprehensible, the scale of it.”

 

Jean’s son worked on Sanibel at the Liquor store next to Bailey’s General Store. After the storm, Jean traveled to Sanibel often to help her son clean the business and recover any merchandise. Then she started experiencing nosebleeds. When she went to see the ENT, her doctor told her she was one of dozens of cases a week. Usually the cases clear up after 6 to 8 weeks when people stop breathing in the particles and mold.

 

Jean also spoke about legislation that she is hoping will pass in the federal government. Since they are paying out of pocket for most of their damage, they are hoping that they can deduct some of the repairs on their taxes. However, since Congress has not yet labeled Hurricane Ian as a qualified disaster, taxpayers are unable to deduct hurricane losses for 2022.


Rhonda Mitchell, who runs a cleaning business on Ft. Myers Beach and Sanibel, also lived in the Iona area in a mobile home park called Siesta Bay. Manufactured homes were some of the most damaged due to flooding and many moved or floated away from their spaces in the water. 

 

At 8:00 am in the morning, when the wind started to pick up, Rhonda’s daughter arrived and insisted that she leave. Rhonda did not think there would be any storm surge and she wasn’t intending to evacuate at all. Her daughter convinced her to go across the street to Cinnamon Cove to a condo owned by one of Rhonda’s clients. The surge rushed in an hour later and the ground floor unit started to take on water. “I’m on the phone with the owner and she was telling me to put towels down to soak up the water.” That unit ended up with over 4 feet of water in it. Luckily, she knew another client in that same building who told her to go to a unit on the second floor. Her and her daughter attached themselves together with a belt to safely make it through the water and wind up to the second floor. 

 

Rhonda needed to know if her trailer was even still there, so she left the condo building at midnight when the water finally started to recede in that area. She waded through thigh deep water to get back to Siesta Bay. “The fish were all swimming by our feet.” When she got back to her trailer, the water had receded and left her home but the damage was already done. Her bed had floated up and her couch was perched on top of her countertop. Her home had taken on 6 feet of flood water and several of her windows were broken. Rhonda says there were a few residents that didn’t leave and tragically drowned. 

No one is currently allowed to live in Siesta Bay, although some residents have begun or even finished repairs. Siesta Bay is still repairing their water and electrical systems. A sign sits at the front of the park that states “No Overnight Stays.”


Rhonda has not been able to start repairing yet. She is dealing with something that many with destroyed homes have been working through; the 50% rule. After Hurricane Ian hit, people in Lee County quickly became aware of FEMA’s 50% rule. This rule prohibits homeowners to do repair work that exceeds 50% of the market value of the home. If the repair work needed is above 50% of the market value of the home, the homeowner must rebuild the home to city code which often means elevating the structure.  

 




No one is currently allowed to live in Siesta Bay, although some residents have begun or even finished repairs. Siesta Bay is still repairing their water and electrical systems. A sign (right) sits at the front of the park that states “No Overnight Stays.”


Rhonda has not been able to start repairing yet. She is dealing with something that many with destroyed homes have been working through; the 50% rule. After Hurricane Ian hit, people in Lee County quickly became aware of FEMA’s 50% rule. This rule prohibits homeowners to do repair work that exceeds 50% of the market value of the home. If the repair work needed is above 50% of the market value of the home, the homeowner must rebuild the home to city code which often means elevating the structure.  

 




No one is currently allowed to live in Siesta Bay, although some residents have begun or even finished repairs. Siesta Bay is still repairing their water and electrical systems. A sign (below) sits at the front of the park that states “No Overnight Stays.”


Rhonda has not been able to start repairing yet. She is dealing with something that many with destroyed homes have been working through; the 50% rule. After Hurricane Ian hit, people in Lee County quickly became aware of FEMA’s 50% rule. This rule prohibits homeowners to do repair work that exceeds 50% of the market value of the home. If the repair work needed is above 50% of the market value of the home, the homeowner must rebuild the home to city code which often means elevating the structure. 

No one is currently allowed to live in Siesta Bay, although some residents have begun or even finished repairs. Siesta Bay is still repairing their water and electrical systems. A sign (right) sits at the front of the park that states “No Overnight Stays.”


Rhonda has not been able to start repairing yet. She is dealing with something that many with destroyed homes have been working through; the 50% rule. After Hurricane Ian hit, people in Lee County quickly became aware of FEMA’s 50% rule. This rule prohibits homeowners to do repair work that exceeds 50% of the market value of the home. If the repair work needed is above 50% of the market value of the home, the homeowner must rebuild the home to city code which often means elevating the structure.  

 




Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Her permit has been denied twice because the city of Fort Myers believes that her rebuild will  exceed 50% of the market value of her trailer. She has applied for a third time with proof that she can make the cost come in under $40,000. She is currently at a long-term hotel along with many others who have been displaced by the storm. She says she is unable to afford to tear her trailer down and build to code. Rhonda does not know what she will do if the permit is denied a third time saying “I’ll have to pay 30 grand to tear it out and I’ll be homeless.”

 

Rhonda was able to get $37,900 from FEMA to help her with living expenses and her business. Her car was flooded along with all her cleaning equipment so she was unable to work for a while. She lost at least half her clients, as well. She used to clean rental properties on Fort Myers Beach and at least 8 of the rental homes were washed away.

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke McKenzie lives on Matlacha Pass. This is a small strip of land between the mainland of Cape Coral and Pine Island. Matlacha was known for its colorful buildings that housed art galleries, gift shops and seafood restaurants on the water. Pine Island and Matlacha had significant storm surge and wind damage. 

 

Brooke rents a home on a canal about halfway through Matlacha Pass. Brooke and her boyfriend Gil stayed along with several of her neighbors. Brooke wanted to evacuate the morning of the storm but when she drove towards Cape Coral, she found that the drawbridge was up, blocking their only escape route. Her and her boyfriend went back inside and waited by the front windows, watching the trees bend in half. Around 1:30 the water started to seep in her home, bringing thick mud with it. 

 

Across the street from her home, there is a ground floor fourplex building. All 4 residents in those units stayed. Brooke could see their windows had broken and her neighbors were standing in the flood, one of them holding tight to his chihuahua.  

 

The eye of the hurricane passed directly over Matlacha at about 3:00 pm. When the winds calmed, Brooke saw her neighbor Billy Joe, wade out into the water, calling to the neighbors that were inside their flooded homes. He decided they should evacuate on his boat before the winds picked up again and got worse. Billy Joe and Gil helped 6 neighbors get into the small boat and they took off down the middle of the flooded road. Brooke and Gil stayed behind, not wanting to risk taking their pets with them. Brooke found out later that the boat went around Matlacha Pass and headed toward the mainland of Cape Coral. They docked the boat and took refuge in a half built home, hanging onto some concrete pillars for the rest of the night. 

Brooke was worried something terrible had happened to all of them but Billy Joe and the rest of the neighbors returned in the boat the next day. Over the next few days, Billy Joe continued to operate his small boat, rescuing survivors and bringing people back to survey their damage. 

 

“It doesn’t look like much but when you step foot in it, you’re sliding everywhere,” Brooke says of the muck that covered Matlacha the next day. Brooke’s home was elevated above the canal so it only took about 6 inches of water. She ripped out her drywall but was able to save the wood floors because she cleaned the mud out as fast as she could. She moved back in after 6 months and says she was “living in a literal construction zone.” Brooke is still repairing parts of her home including her deck and some drywall inside.

 

Many residents of Matlacha have not begun repairs yet, even though the 50% rule does not apply because it is considered a historical area. The fourplex building across the street from Brooke hasn’t been touched since the storm. (right) The inside is covered in mold and the ceiling is just hanging. 

 



Brooke was worried something terrible had happened to all of them but Billy Joe and the rest of the neighbors returned in the boat the next day. Over the next few days, Billy Joe continued to operate his small boat, rescuing survivors and bringing people back to survey their damage. 

 

“It doesn’t look like much but when you step foot in it, you’re sliding everywhere,” Brooke says of the muck that covered Matlacha the next day. Brooke’s home was elevated above the canal so it only took about 6 inches of water. She ripped out her drywall but was able to save the wood floors because she cleaned the mud out as fast as she could. She moved back in after 6 months and says she was “living in a literal construction zone.” Brooke is still repairing parts of her home including her deck and some drywall inside.

 

Many residents of Matlacha have not begun repairs yet, even though the 50% rule does not apply because it is considered a historical area. The fourplex building across the street from Brooke hasn’t been touched since the storm. (See right) The inside is covered in mold and the ceiling is just hanging. 

The ongoing struggles of the people of Southwest Florida show a gap in the coverage of natural disasters: the long term aftermath. The people of Southwest Florida will be continuing to recover for at least another year. The people impacted by the wildfires in Lahaina, and the tornadoes in Mississippi, and even more recently, Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, will be dealing with the same things as Southwest Florida. The media likely will continue to move on quickly as there are always larger, more pressing issues to cover but know that disaster recovery does not end when the media coverage ends. The stories in this project highlight the frustrations resulting from Hurricane Ian that continue long after the cameras are turned off, as the people of Southwest Florida work towards a common goal of building a stronger community that can withstand future hurricanes.

 



The ongoing struggles of the people of Southwest Florida show a gap in the coverage of natural disasters: the long term aftermath. The people of Southwest Florida will be continuing to recover for at least another year. The people impacted by the wildfires in Lahaina, and the tornadoes in Mississippi, and even more recently, Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, will be dealing with the same things as Southwest Florida. The media likely will continue to move on quickly as there are always larger, more pressing issues to cover but know that disaster recovery does not end when the media coverage ends. The stories in this project highlight the frustrations resulting from Hurricane Ian that continue long after the cameras are turned off, as the people of Southwest Florida work towards a common goal of building a stronger community that can withstand future hurricanes.

The ongoing struggles of the people of Southwest Florida show a gap in the coverage of natural disasters: the long term aftermath. The people of Southwest Florida will be continuing to recover for at least another year. The people impacted by the wildfires in Lahaina, and the tornadoes in Mississippi, and even more recently, Cedar Key in the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia, will be dealing with the same things as Southwest Florida. The media likely will continue to move on quickly as there are always larger, more pressing issues to cover but know that disaster recovery does not end when the media coverage ends. The stories in this project highlight the frustrations resulting from Hurricane Ian that continue long after the cameras are turned off, as the people of Southwest Florida work towards a common goal of building a stronger community that can withstand future hurricanes.