Surviving Hurricane Ian A Story of Resilience and Recovery

What’s life like for victims of major disasters? In a recent episode of the Tell Us How to Make It Better podcast, I interviewed Robert St Cyr, whose house was badly damaged by Hurricane Ian last September.

Robert, or Bob as he prefers to be called, lives in a small community in Naples, Florida where every home was destroyed by the four feet of water that entered during the hurricane. The damage was extensive and not just limited to the area where the water was. The water went up the walls and ruined everything it touched, including the furniture, flooring, walls, electric, and utilities.

Bob evacuated before the storm arrived and shared that he did not realize the extent of the damage until he returned home and saw that everything had been pushed around. The washing machine was running upside down in the garage, and the flood water had ruined everything.

Bob's experience highlights the importance of understanding the risks of floods and taking the necessary precautions to minimize the damage caused by them.  His story is a reminder that disasters can happen to anyone, and it's crucial to be prepared for them. Homeowners need to protect their biggest investment by being aware of what kind of disasters could strike them and taking steps to safeguard their homes. 

What’s interesting about Bob’s neighborhood is the residents are repairing the damage and moving back in, but nothing else has changed, so if another powerful hurricane was to hit that area with a similar storm surge, they’d likely be going through the same damage scenario they’ve just experienced.

I asked Bob if this was just the price people end up paying for living in paradise and was it worth it? He said “Well, it is, as long as you don't get impacted by floods, that's for sure. But if you are no, the answer is no. It is not. It's the hardest thing that I've ever gone through in my entire life. I can't imagine it would be worth going through this again, no matter what the circumstances are.”

Let’s hope he doesn’t have to go through it again. But as George Washington Professor Joseph Barbera said in my documentary film The Last House Standing, “hope is not a strategy.”  Click here to listen to my entire interview with Bob.