Driving rain, raging wind, flooded homes and mangled metal.
Those were some of the devastating consequences when Irma hit Southwest Florida on Sept. 10, 2017.
Now, five years later, the rubble has transformed.
The one good thing the storm brought was the way people came together to help each other out.
WINK News takes you through the days after the storm and the strength of the community after Irma swept through neighborhoods, first making landfall on Marco Island.
Watch the special in the media player above.
Stories you need to know

Survivors, victims’ families mark 5 years since Parkland high school massacre
Valentine’s Day 2023 marks five years since the shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland killed 17 people and injured 17 others. Just one night before, a gunman killed three people and himself at Michigan State University. Tweets are coming from some of the Parkland survivors who are now reliving their brutal memories of the […]

2023 Naples Winter Wine Festival: In Perfect Harmony, a WINK News special
The 2023 Naples Winter Wine Festival begins on Friday, Feb. 3. During last year’s festival, nearly $22 million was raised in just four and a half hours to help the children of Collier County. WINK News and Gulfshore Life are co-sponsors of the festival. You can join WINK anchor Lindsey Sablan as she spotlights the […]

Southwest Florida artist chosen for Gulfshore Life’s Men of the Year
Many can relate to losing something priceless during Hurricane Ian. Maybe a family heirloom or pictures. But think about artists and their life’s work swept up in water in minutes. Hurricane Ian devastated Chad Jensen’s gallery Method and Concept. Jensen is one of the few people who can describe the remnants of Hurricane Ian and […]

WINK News helps a woman apply for temporary housing using Unite Florida
There are many people who need temporary housing after Hurricane Ian and on Monday Florida rolled out Unite Florida which is the first state-wide temporary housing program. Plenty of Floridians are not even aware the program exists to help them recover from the storm. Cheryl Garniss lost her home during the hurricane. Since then, her […]
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Most Wanted Wednesday: Some of SWFL’s most wanted suspects for March 29
This weekly WINK News segment features fugitives from justice right here in Southwest Florida.

Answers needed in deadly apartment fire
Questions surrounding what happened before a charred home burst into flames in a Charlotte County apartment complex on Tuesday. An adult and child were killed during the fire, and five others were injured at the Trail Apartments. WINK News got its hands on the calls for service logs dating back to 2018, and deputies have […]

Citizens Insurance gives UPC customers more time to get a policy
Thousands of UPC customers with Hurricane Ian damaged homes are struggling to find another insurance company to protect their homes in the future.

The changes made to LCSO’s pursuit policy
Early last week, Marceno said he was making changes to the pursuit policy, but at the time, no one was 100% sure what that meant until now.