FT. MYERS BEACH, Fla. — On Sept. 28, 2023, the first anniversary of Hurricane Ian, the streets around Times Square on Ft. Myers Beach were packed, live music echoed around each corner, and the people showed up.
Since the storm, this turnout (even on busy weekends) is not the norm. But, it showed locals and visitors alike that they aren't giving up on their island paradise.
"It's just the soul, the town, it's coming together," Nancy Walker, a Ft. Myers Beach resident, said. "It's getting better. It's just going to be a long road, and it's going to be different. It's going to be different because of FEMA regulations; all the rebuilds will be higher. It was a funky Key West, shrimper old hippies, retirees town. And I don't know if we'll be able to keep that; we're fighting for it. We're fighting for it."
Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed. Parts of Times Square feet from where the famous fishing pier once stood were wiped off the face of the Earth. Damaged buildings are getting rebuilt, construction projects are underway, and there is optimism about the future, but many know it might not be, or feel, the same as it did before.
"The people, this island are so strong; that the vibe will stay small town, I think, even if it looks more like Marco (Island) or bigger," Bill Ignati, a lifelong local and operating partner at Wahoo Willie's, said. "I'm hoping that some stuff starts building back. I know a lot of places are doing food trucks and the shipping containers. I don't know if that's going to be maybe more of a permanent thing like Times Square might never be rebuilt the way it was; it might just be what it is now. But, hopefully, in the next year or two, some of the cottages and other staple restaurants will be building back."
The bones of the historic fishing pier greet beachgoers. They jut out like jagged teeth. The walk to the beach is a tour through destroyed buildings, slabs of concrete where businesses once stood, and something new: a clock in the center of Times Square.
Street vendors are slowly starting to make their way back.
"We lost everything: our car, our home, our glass studio, our retail location. We had nothing. We started from scratch," Nathalie Stickland said.
Stickland is a glass artisan. She returned on Dec. 26 and now spends all her time selling in Times Square.
"How is business before the storm compared to after, just with the amount of people coming?" ABC Action News reporter Michael Paluska asked.
"It still has been decent," Stickland said. "A lot of my customers have been coming and supporting me. It's going to take some time, but the heart is still beating. People are coming back, and you can see progress."
We also met with locals Alice and Adrian Barrett, along with their dog Jameson, a local celebrity.
"She's quite famous out here on the beach," Adrian Barrett said. "Her job is to drive the beach and deliver smiles."
The Barrett family had 12 feet of water in their home, with the storm surge up to the ceiling. They evacuated or might not be here today — 150 people died during the storm, and many were elderly trapped in their homes as the waters came up.
"It's challenging, very challenging. We basically had to start over from scratch. As my son said at your age, losing everything is devastating," Adrian Barrett said.
"I take a lot of things less for granted now and just kind of thankful that I'm here and I get to live in this beautiful area and just enjoy life is the soul of Fort Myers still here," Alice Barrett said.
"Are y'all gonna leave?" Paluska asked.
"No!" the Barretts responded at the same time.
"Why not?" Paluska said.
"This is home now, we rebuilt, we are staying," Adrian Barrett said. "They're gonna (have to) take us out feet first."
