CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — Communities continue to clean up from the damage left behind after those destructive tornadoes ripped through Pinellas and Citrus Counties, even as some businesses were getting back on their feet from the last hurricane.
“Sometimes bad things happen when you’re living in paradise," said Paul Lyons.
That positive attitude helps Lyons push through the reality of devastation to his business twice in less than two months.
“We’ll pull through this and be better for it," said Lyons.
Lyons owns Crystal River Kayak Company and Dive Center. The business has been around for 20 years, but the property has been in his family for over 70 years.
Back in August, his business suffered damage after Hurricane Idalia.
“It came up probably about a foot or two in the parking lot," said Lyons. "We had several feet of water inside our building there.”
The following month, they were recovering and remodeling and had been open for just one day, and then the tornado hit.
The business sits in rubble, the roof destroyed, debris scattered, and now they’re back to square one.
"I picture being down for like two to three weeks, and then we'll be back up and operational at least out of one of our buildings here," said Lyons.
Ryan Delarco is in a similar boat. He owns Sparky’s Green Rides Bicycle Shop, which Hurricane Idalia and the tornado damaged.
“We just got done two weeks ago cleaning up a three-foot flood that came through our building and just got opened up, and basically, here we are again," said Delarco.
On Friday, crews worked to clear the tornado’s aftermath, which will take some time.
“All we can do is keep our heads up and keep on moving," said Delarco.
Still, residents and business owners keep a positive outlook while weathering yet another storm.
"You just got to power through, and this is a great community, and we all stick together," said Lyons.
