Hurricane Ian caused havoc on Fort Myers Beach, one of the hardest hit areas by the storm. The storm surge swallowed homes, businesses, families, and more. But, repeatedly, we’ve witnessed the unwavering strength and resiliency residing on Fort Myers Beach. From beautiful, white sandy beaches, a charming shoreline, and a picture-perfect pier morphing into devastation, damage, and destruction. The result is an unrecognizable beach loved by so many in Southwest Florida. “Watching the water rise up your stairs of your third-floor home, that’s when you start panicking,” William Dean Simmons said. And six months of progress later, after Hurricane Ian passed, people see progress. “It’s pretty unbelievable how the streets are clear. Now the beach is actually the people walking up and down on them,” Ennis, a Fort Myers Beach resident, said. Homeowners are making plans and businesses are back up and running. Ian was unlike anything Southwest Florida had seen before and thought Fort Myers Beach would never be the same. The people who call it home can’t imagine living anywhere else.