Boca Grande businesses clean up after Milton

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Elyssa Morataya
Published: Updated:

No matter how much you prepare for a hurricane, you never know what awaits you in the aftermath.

“We sandbag front and back doors. Turned off all electric. We did everything we possibly could,” said Dina Beaumont. “It’s way worse, way worse than I could have imagined not the water was so intrusive that our entire inventory is ruined. It’s wet, it’s muddy. Our floors have buckled.”

Beaumont owns Sunsets of Boca Grande in downtown.

“I’ve always loved Boca Grande. I’ve wanted to live here for the last 40 years, and I moved here three years ago to open my business,” said Beaumont.

Soon after opening, Hurricane Ian struck.

“We were hit with Ian. It was terribly destructive. I did lose half my store, but I did keep half my store last time under ian, tremendous flooding, tremendous damage,” said Beaumont.

After that came Hurricane Helene.

“The rest of the downtown was flooded, homes, condominiums, destroyed, but this building was spared,” said Beaumont.

But Mother Nature had other plans this time around, with Milton affecting everything near and dear to Beaumont.

“My home is flooded. I can’t go I can’t even get in there. I have men there right now ripping out the sheetrock on the bottom floor. It’s already started to mold,” said Beaumont.

And her rental condo: “Obliterated. It’s right on the ocean. It was beautiful, but it’s there’s nothing left,” said Beaumont.

Even still, Beaumont remains committed to the beautiful island community.

“I love it here. I don’t want to live anywhere else, so I’m going to rebuild. I’m going to be here. But it’s not easy,” said Beaumont.

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