Devastating Drive of Fort Myers Beach(After Hurricane Ian) 

I don’t think one can wrap their mind around the magnitude of Hurricane Ian until they see this kind of footage of homes completely leveled and obliterated. The sheer force of the power of the storm is seen in trees stripped of their bark and branches and the remnants of homes and buildings in a huge pile of rubble. I saw an aerial view of the miles upon miles of lost beachfront and then you see the ginormous piles of sand everywhere on the sides of the road and inside houses from the winds and storm surge. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this monster storm. I pray for all the residents and their families as they face this tremendous loss(losses) and the choice of staying and rebuilding or of moving to start over. Thank you for making this video. I hope that millions of people will decide, upon viewing this video, to help whether physically lending a hand, donating food and clothing, giving to charities, or uplifting people in prayer.

It's so sad to see Fort Myers Beach like this. I was just there a few days before the hurricane hit visiting my parents. My parents just moved to the Fort Myers area 3 months ago and were in the process of remodeling their whole condo. Their condo was over by the Sanibel bridge area where that area was hit very hard with storm surge. They luckily evacuated the area beforehand. Their condo ended up with 7 feet of storm surge throughout their condo. It's a total loss and now their condo is covered in 3 inches of muck, sewer, sand, etc. End of the day they are okay and are luckily alive because not everyone in their condo area survived which is sad to say. This has never happened to their area in hundreds of years.

Thoughts and prayers with all those who are suffering and were affected by this devastating hurricane 🙏🏻🙏🏻💕

Great video and love the music. I went thru hurricane Andrew and the devastation was very similar to this. It took years to get back to normal and piles of debris took a very long time to get removed. South Floridians are strong people and will recover from this. Thoughts and prayers to all!!!

The music you used, was extremely fitting to what we are watching...Powerful! And sad 😢

It is just unbelievable. Totally overwhelming. You know it happened and seeing you just can’t believe it. The destruction is total.

I was in Fort Myers one year ago exactly to this day. My heart breaks for these people. Imagine if this was your town. The cleanup effort is overwhelming. God bless each and every person affected by this. 🙏🏻👆🏼

This is just so heartbreaking. I was set to be in Ft Myers 4 days after the hurricane ended up hitting. I have been there a few times and always spend my evenings eating down on the beach in FMB / Times Square and absolutely loved it. Hard to believe it's now basically all gone. I feel awful for all of the residents. I hope they are able to rebuild and build it back even better.

Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones, homes and their livelihoods from this disaster. This is so heartbreaking to see. Our family spent 22 years of Christmas and March break vacations on Ft. Myers beach and have such fond memories. So much destruction of a beautiful area. Sending prayers to all those affected. 🙏🏻😭

Wow that’s heartbreaking to watch. God bless all the victims and their loved ones.

Thank you for showing this!!! The MEDIA always tends to forget!

I've never seen so much destruction from a hurricane. Ft. Myers was beautiful. So sad. Still praying for all there and everywhere this hurricane hit. Fellow Floridian here.

It’s not just FMB, but MANY neighborhoods all over Lee County as well as others. So many areas suffered complete devastation that aren’t even being talked about. So many who left with just the clothes on their backs. We still have 360 people who have nowhere to go and are now living in an old Publix building that was turned into a long term shelter. So many who couldn’t afford home insurance and have NO WAY to recover or rebuild. Insurance companies will go out of business because they can’t possibly pay out to all their customers.

Watching too many of these videos can be depressing...but it will be interesting to see the progress over the weeks and months to come.. Hope you keep showing and updating us on how things are improving in the areas hit by Ian.

The music reflects the video. It's somber .

Thank you for posting. My friend moved there from Montreal and Houston in 1993 and our family (3) started visiting him in Cape Coral in 1996. We we stayed with him and subsequently over the years we stayed a Cape Harbour and at a house AirBnB at Veterans and Skyline. Then we pulled the trigger and bought a condo in Cape Harbour in 2014. We used to drive to Sanibel Island and to Fort Myers beach. I remember visiting my friend during spring break, we used to take his boat to Fort Myers beach and I used to just stare in awe at the huge crowds for young people partying on the beach. Some of the boaters would participate in the partying too. I was there in November 2021 and then again this year in June. The Lana Kai is unrecognizable! I would park at the parking lot just west of the bridge where the changing rooms were near the restaurants and cafes. It's so sad to see all this devastation and destruction. Almost nothing left. It's going to take a couple of years before this area is rebuilt including Sanibel Island, many parts of Cape Coral south, Tarpon Point, Cape Harbour, Pine Island and other areas. I was staying at my friends condo on the 15th floor at Cape Harbour taking videos the week-end of the 4th of July and watching all the fireworks....I was impressed with the huge numbers of homes and areas exploding fireworks....it truly was spectacular....now it's just a sad reminder of what it was. A fun place with very nice and cool people. One day it will be back...building back better.

We've heard a lot in the past, that Florida has been hit by another hurricane, and it's often ended well. But these pictures are so shocking, it's hard to believe. Only with these pictures i understand what happened here. Florida residents, stay strong and don't be discouraged. You have a huge mountain of work ahead of you. Stick together and help each other. Sending you all my Love from Germany, and i wish you all the best and lots of strength.

Thank you!! This a the best video to show from the ground the absolute devastation… My hearts go out to everyone who was affected. FMB has always had a special place in my heart.

For those who live in this area, if your reading this Please remember you are alive and the Lord has not forgotten you. My Heart is Heavy for your loss. We who do not live here we see your pain, you are not alone and not forgotten in the hearts of many. Things can be replaced. In time healing will rebuild your saddened hearts, once again the sunshine state will shine upon your face with happy tears. God Bless all of you.

Sending prayers for healing and comfort and strength during these days. Thank you for sharing

The progress being made is awesome. They need more volunteers. I wish I wasn't so damn old.

Don’t worry the whole coast of Florida will come back stronger than ever. That is what they do!

America/Florida Strong... WE'RE STRONGER TOGETHER 🙏💖🌻🇺🇸🗽

Thanks for posting this, as it's one of few videos to cover the southern third of FMB in any detail at all. I've been going there for 41 years, and have become very attached to the place. I feel a sense of loss, but nothing like those on the island who tragically lost their lives, family members, businesses, and homes. It's a real community, and I hope it stays that way.

I was born and raised in Florida. I am 53years old now and was born and raised there. I used to skimboard on that beach back in 1987.I had alot of fond memories growing up there with my friends.

So very sad, we currently have floods in vast areas of Australia and the damage is horrendous. Mother Nature is all mighty 😢.

Very good video needed nothing just the pictures and the music to show how devastating this has been to the Floridian people. Thank you for it we have a long road to go. We will survive.

Any building can be replaced, but human life is lost forever, my heart goes out to everyone in fla that was affected, bless u all

What did not happen in a century can happen over night.Do not become discouraged, this place will recover, and many improvements made. Thanks for this very revealing drive. (God Bless Florida).🏝🏘🚤

I saw my neighbors house that's still standing but you just missed my former 'house.' It was swept away. Third house from the beach, second from Estero Blvd. My heart still hurts seeing these vids and knowing so many lost so much.

I’ve lived in Fort Myers for 20 years. At the 5:00 mark, you can see them drive past the Wyndham Hotel where I worked for years on the beach renting jet skis, chairs, umbrellas, etc. Spent so many nights at the beach bar there after work during season where we’d hang with co workers or mingle with tourists. So strange and surreal to see it looking destroyed like that. And so many other places in the video I’ve either been to or driven past literally hundreds of times. But the island will bounce back, no doubt. Beach people are extremely resilient.

Thank you so much. We have no idea of how devastating this is. We are only shown snippets from the news here in CA. God bless you

God Bless You FMB Myself being from Port Charlotte , Southwest Florida Will Rise Again ❤

What a powerful message.God bless America and may you be Great again.Much Love ❤️ from 🇨🇦

I just can not believe the sand and debris piled up like snow on the sides of the roads, three weeks later and still a disaster area. A beautiful paradise of a place reduced to rubble. Very very sad indeed. My thoughts and prayers to all effected.

Despite everything we see here, one can’t help but seeing the cleanup and rebuilding beginning already. FM will rise again.

Great but devastating video, reminds me of what we saw after Katrina (we were living in Biloxi, MS then). It hurts to see and my heart goes out to everyone, especially the kids, impacted by these hurricanes. Even almost 20 years later, I still get nightmares of being surrounded by debris, gutted houses, rotting wood, and that “post-hurricane smell”. Time heals, but you never forget.

😢 I still hurt bad seeing all this as when I was younger I spent my summers there working at the Holiday Inn. I had so much fun while I was there, so many great memories, so many great guest/people there on the island. Don’t give up, everything will work out!

Absolutely Heart breaking 💔 😢 Not to forget all the wildlife as well...A long Road to the finish line. 🙏👍

I can’t even believe how one day wiped out everything from Naples to Venice. So upsetting! Those were some of the most beautiful beaches in the state.

Great video, really appropriate background music. Thanks.

I have some great memories of Fort Myers Beach. Surreal to recognize the scattered debris.

Florida has people from all over,so believe me they will eventually recover. Try being in vieques Puerto Rico for Maria. 😢This is sad to see my old teenage stomping grounds destroyed. Praying 🙏 for all who is dealing with this .

It reminds of hurricane Michael that hit Panama City Fl and Tyndall AirForce Base they are still dealing with the fall out of that hurricane it was a cat five when it hit. Most of my family live there and I saw the area shortly after and it was hard to find your way around the landmarks were all gone. I use to live there I knew that place like the back of my hand. It all changed. This is what Mexico Beach looked like. Even way inland to Bristol Fl, and Blounstown, Fl the devastation was great. My heart really goes out to these people. I live right on the coast and I was in Houston Tx my husband was in the hospital we were set for a direct hit until Ian turned we would have lost it all. My heart is grateful; but sad.

Awesome video!!! I experienced this first hand in Cape Coral!! The devastation of our Fort Myers Beach is heart breaking!!!

The music 😳😳😳

Thanks for sharing your video. Many trips to FMB, deep sea fishing on Captain Tony's and Getaway. Walked the beach and pier many times. They've got so much to do with clean-up and rebuilding.

so sad to see...thank you for posting this.

Thank you for the video. We have a home near there and we haven’t been there since June 21.

Man i can't believe the place i have so many memories of when i lived there is gone now.im just thankful that my family survived the storm. My friends and i used to ride our motorcycles to lani kai and eat at hooters next door and talk to girls all the time

This is haunting God help the residents

The fact i was just there this year before all this and I stayed with friends who lived there and 3 of my friend’s houses got completely flooded and there really nice cars all gone. This is so sad

Devastating 😭 thx for sharing

🥺😥 I ❤️ Florida & the people Hope I'm there SOON to help.

Heartbreaking. I have so many memories of great times there.

its amazing that there are ANY building still standing.

Thank you, Teen hunter, to show this video, it so sad, we had same experience here in Houston, TX not just once but 3x, 2015, 2016 & 17 hurricane Harvey, is the worse, just like hurricane Ian. My son & I, we’re very lucky Thanks to God, he protects us. Our 2 level house never got bad damage, but we had 5feet water inside the house, we stay in 2nd floor with my 3 cats. Our area look like a lake, lots houses and businesses, washout specially in Galveston beach, look like in Sanibel beach totally damaged. 2 weeks no power, in our area can’t use the waters for cooking or washing. Prayers for those victim survivors and those lost thier lives.🙏🙏🙏🙏

Thank you for the trip report. Video is excellent. Appreciate it. Very helpful.

Two years ago, got the fam together for a week at Wyndham Resort (5:11 mark). It’s totally trashed now. So much sand on the road, looks like snow plowed up north. All the places on concrete piers and CBS walls look to have faired much better than “old school” wood pilings and stick-built houses. People living in Manufactured Homes, who can’t get Windstorm Insurance and retired with minimum savings are suffering the most. When the kids were young, we’d go to the pier and watch dolphins in the surf, hope they rebuild. Heard the Mucky Duck on Sanibel survived Ian; one bright spot!

Always dreamed of owning a beach home but after seeing the destruction and devastation left by hurricane Ian I will just have to dream. Hope all the people can recover their lives back. Prayers to all

I couldn't even finish watching. I live over in the NE Cape. We were hit too but where I am, there's no large body of water close. This is literally gut wrenching. You'll come back Ft Myers Beach. You have the sun, the beach and the attitude.

Roads are passable and many utility lines repaired! That’s a good start!

It's a tear-jerker to say the least. We moved to Florida in September of 2021 and went to the Fishtail Marina. We ate at the Fishtail Waterfront Restaurant, really loved it. To see it demolished is just heartbreaking. So many lives are lost. Fort Myers Beach will be rebuilt but the heartache of the poor souls who died will always be remembered.

I left the Saturday before Ian hit. FMB was my favorite vacation spot. Will miss Bella’s, Moms Diner, Junkanoo, The Whale, Shuckers, just to name a few. 😢

such terrible destruction - thanks to everyone working tirelessly to get get things back to somewhat normalcy for the residents, so many lives have been destroyed :(

Very touching and moving emotion's as I watch a beautiful location destryed. Prayer's to all. Some will rebuild but the quaint place it was will not be the same. Thank you for this video. It means a lot.

Mother Nature … a force that no man can control. May you find strong community and come together as one to rebuild. Sending love and light.

My favorite place, prayers are with you!

Very terrific and humble video something you may not hear a lot of but the music fit the video good job

Just a thought, I really appreciate the person "Teen Hustler" putting this video together and online . Very interesting but really ANNOYING music ... even just silence or the local talk radio would've been fine. I will follow and look forward to more in the future.

emotions running wild, been there so many times and yet I could not even locate where you were!!!! unreal

My sis lived on fmb for 10 years,she can't even go look because she will be devastated, junkanoos and fresh catch is completely gone,even red coconuts.lots of people she knows are gone too

Florida people will make a come back even 💪 they love Florida and will rebuild it back better.yrs to do it but it will come back better than ever.🇺🇲❤️❤️❤️💪💯🙏🙏prayers to all.mostly ones that lost loved ones to Ian ❤️❤️🤣🤣🙏🙏🙏🙏God Bless All

Thx u SO much, my home in on S end Flamingo, where you turned in and dropped your camera, im at the E end, and we had 10+ surge, my old one story block still standing, but totalled, my brothers old cottage by pink shell standing, but totalled, been coming here since the 60s. Been waiting to travel, no place to stay, it is my 1st full yr as primary. Headed soon, to pick up the peices. Broken hearted, APPRECIATE the video.

@5:19 is where majority of my childhood summer vacations would be, we would rent out my grandfathers unit at the Sandarc Condos to the point my Father would get one of us his own, and we would spend every summer down there, I was there during Charley and Irma, I was just down there this past summer and showed my wife around my "2nd home" it was crazy to see FMB survive those storms but I had a bad gut feeling this was gonna be devastating, I hope all those affected by Ian make a full turn around and hope to see FMB thrive again.

What a terrible devastation ! To the people who complain about the music ,easy fix ,turn down the Volume on your device!!!

So sad,when I was younger dreamt of living in Florida half the year when I retired..sadly won't be happening.

I stayed there a number of times on a sailboat in a marina. Barely recognized some areas as the landmark buildings are sometimes just gone.

That had to be very hard on the people who went back in found their homes gone what I heard alot went back to Florida where this hit to find their home was gone in they took it so hard they took their lives in ended it I got furniture here I love to give to the people in Florida who was hit with this bad storm they are in are prayers every day 🙏

Como me duele ver nuestra playa así 💔 me parte el alma. Lloro de dolor🥺😢

This is so heart wrenching I mean where do you start? are there enough construction companies to be able to take care of this in a timely manner? What is the estimated time frame that this state will be Back to somewhat of normalcy? will it be? Sending prayers for every family involved😪🙏⚘❣

Thank you for keeping this in the forefront of our minds. Too often, when the news crews move on, the residents are left with no voice. A special thanks to anyone who is down there helping those that survived recover from the overwhelming devastation.

Its so so sad to see this..my sister inlaw has a second floor condo there so it made it through..i'm not sure where ..but close to the beach..my heart goes out to all you folks down there an the people that didn't make it...i'm sheading a few tears for my brothers an sisters down there..stay safe all if you..Phil..Toronto❤

Devastation to the left, devastation to the right. It struck me that many of the areas old/historical landmarks are forever gone.

😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢Thanks for doing this. I had absolutely no idea it was this horrible.

I live just North of here...I thought I was prepared but it missed me...seeing the video and images I was not prepared at all...God Bless the survivors

Wow! It looks like a war zone 😪 Please 🙏 pray 🙏 for all of our brother & sisters in Florida. Blessings, from San Francisco, California

Unreal the devastation I've been going down there for years my favorite place in the world just cant imagine what the people ln e are going thru my heart goes out to everybody down there so sad

Like many others I have very fond memories of Ft. Myers Beach and especially Times Square! I lived in FL in the 80’s and my Father was looking for a retirement place. He fell in love with it, called it “Beach Funky”. Drove around Times square in his Chrysler LeBaron convertible! I visited often and it was the place where we had our best relationship because he left our Family when I was 11 years old. My Brothers and I cherish the place and hope and pray for the folks of Ft. Myers Beach. 🫶🏻

I went to help rebuild and it cost me a broken ankle when I fell from a 2 storie house. I fell 2 days before Thanksgiving and I'm still out healing not working. This storm affected alot of people just like it affected me

This music is so beautiful!

We vacationed Spring and Christmas every year here so many years. I wanted to take all my family back😭 We will be back some day again and new memories will be made. Much love to all residents at this devastating time. ❤️🙏 Thank you for video. This is the first time I had a very clear view and can continue to process what has happened.

Oh my gosh. Those poor people

Thank you for giving us this look at how the recovery is going. Much appreciated.

22:19 - If you freeze at this timestamp, you can see exactly where the well-known video was taken of the storm surge here. The camera was attached to the concrete utility pole on the left, next to the green pole with the white-on-red sign with the number "34" on it. Just to the right of this pole you can see the three short palm trees were were totally submerged by the ocean when the surge was at its deepest. At center left are the stairs that led to the second floor of the red 2-story wooden building which was swept away completely and destroyed; amazingly, the couple that lived in it managed to survive by jumping out into the water (with their two dogs) as the building broke up. If you haven't yet watched this particular video then make a point to search for it. You see how horrifying the hurricane was here.

We were just visiting family in Ft Meyers this spring and sanibel is always on our list of places to visit. It's disheartening to see it in the state of destruction it is in. I realize you live by the ocean you have certain risks you are taking, doesn't make it any less devastating. This area will be rebuilt ❤️🙌

So sad to think that some people lost their lives in this place. While I'm watching this video. I am also driving through this highway via google earth. Just comparing what the houses looks before the Hurricane. It was a beautiful place and lots of beautiful houses.

Sandpiper resort at 9:30 of this video. Great place! Hope they rebuild so we can return!

It is horrible. Such heartbreak. It does look like they are doing alot of clean up and even the rows and rows of portable toilets are good to see, since so many are without power and plumbing. If they even have a home left at all. And for the workers. The piles and piles of debris and sand along the roads, shows how hard they are working to clean up and move forward. The enormity and scope of the devastation is hard to wrap your head around. The storm surge, looked like a tsunami... but slower and for hours and hours.

I’ve lived in ft.Myers for most of my life but now live in michigan,I cannot believe everything I once knew is now gone!!!god bless you all