Clean-up on Matlacha after Helene floods the island continues amidst a tapestry of resilience and community spirit. Just days ago, the serene waters below Matlacha Bridge were anything but calm, as Hurricane Helene unleashed fury upon this vibrant fishing community. Echoes of crashing waves still resonate in the minds of its residents.
“I got a long way to go…doing this all again is a shock,” reflected Cheri Boyd, a homeowner who found herself in familiar territory as she began the arduous task of restoring her home once more.
“I GOT A LONG WAY TO GO,” Clean-up on Matlacha after Helene floods the island
Just a month after the devastation of Ian, Boyd had poured her heart into building a new life, laying fresh floors and infusing her home with warmth. But now, two years later, the waters have risen again, testing her resolve.
“It’s pretty nauseous watching your home become flooded,” Boyd admitted. The emotions are raw, heavy; helplessness can be an overwhelming weight, as she recalled hearing from neighbors about the storm’s approach.
With steely determination, she drove down from Illinois to confront the remnants of her flooded sanctuary. Her driveway was a collage of debris, sand, and mud, remnants of nature’s rampage. Just a few inches of water invaded her home, yet her sunroom transformed into a small lake, highlighting the unpredictability of life on the coast.
“Hurricanes are a part of life here,” she mused, a hint of acceptance in her voice. For Boyd, the beauty of Florida, its sun-kissed shores, and vibrant sunsets outweigh the risks. “It’s a chance to live in paradise,” she articulated, embodying the spirit of many who choose to embrace this life.
Her neighbor, Keila Santiago, offered support, checking in on Boyd and sharing snippets of their shared ordeal. Yet, for Santiago, the storm inflicted unimaginable loss. “We felt like we were in the middle of the ocean,” she said, recalling the surreal moment when rising waters filled her home. “Her daughter couldn’t fathom the chaos, exclaiming that it felt like a scene from a movie, an unreal twist in their daily life.
Santiago salvaged what she could — drying cherished items in the warm sun. Each piece, a reminder of normalcy, intertwined stories of laughter and memories. But here they were again, faced with the labor of rebuilding. “It’s disheartening,” she reflected, realizing the work put into recovering from Ian had come to naught with Helene’s arrival.
“One step at a time. One day at a time,” Santiago repeated, her mantra echoing through the community’s determination to rise above this setback. With the camaraderie of neighbors, the memories of shared dinners and laughter wouldn’t fade; they would bond together, as they had in the past.
“All the neighbors who lost pretty much everything in their house were having a party,” Boyd recalled with a bittersweet smile. “They were laughing. That’s the kind of community that remains here; supportive, resilient, and full of spirited souls.”
The Greater Pine Island Alliance has stepped forward, rallying volunteers to assist the survivors and restore the island’s beauty. A call to action in a time of need, as this community epitomizes the essence of togetherness under adversity.
Matlacha’s story is one of heart—filled not with just the image of rising waters, but with the strength of humanity, an unwavering commitment to cherish every moment, come what may.
