Collier County’s post-Ian progress as seen from its beaches

Six months after Hurricane Ian ripped through Southwest Florida, WINK News looks at how far Collier County has come and how far it has to go.

When Ian made landfall, the beaches that bring people from near and far to Southwest Florida were left in shambles. The storm surge completely covered Vanderbilt Beach.

“You don’t really get to understand the depth of the destruction until you see what’s happening on the ground,” said Vanderbilt Beach resident Maha Ghazzi. “You look around you and, you know, no one ever imagined that this level of destruction could take place.>

And Barefoot Beach was wrecked, with huge piles of sand piled next to the Gulf.

“To say I’m heartbroken might be an understatement,” said Barefoot Beach resident Rick Hodges. “In fact, I am almost on the verge of crying. Truly, it’s pretty sad. It’s pretty sad.”

Collapsed homes, stacks of boats, and piles of debris were strewn as far as the eye could see.

“This is just devastating,” Hodges said. “I’ve never been through anything like this.”

The day Ian hit, water on Marco Island came into homes and even submerged them. The monster storm left behind more than $2 billion in damages in Collier County alone. Most of that damage was in homes that were ripped apart.

Fast forward six months later: Restaurants and shops are open, and tourism is booming again. Collier County beaches are also welcoming guests and locals. Businesses and homes are slowly being rebuilt and cleaned up, and the areas hit by Hurricane Ian are coming back stronger than ever.