Hurricane Ian victims continue helping each other despite personal hardships one year later

NORTH PORT, Fla. - When Hurricane Ian made landfall last year, it caused the Myakkahatchee Creek to spill over. Water engulfed homes and turned roadways into creeks, but during those trying times neighbors came out in droves to help one another. 

"We do live on Myakkatahcee Creek so we are used to flooding but we have never in our lives seen it that high, that fast," explained Jane DeClercq.

In one day, 22 inches of rain came down in North Port. DeClercq and her husband were certain their home would be gone.

"My husband left me off at Sumter Boulevard and he waded into 5 ½ feet of water," she shared.

When DeClercq was able to make it back by boat, she discovered a river replaced her backyard. While the water didn’t make it inside, it did substantial damage.

"Our HVAC system, the A/C was underwater. Our hot water heater was underwater. We had a lot of damage including all of our personal property it was about $50,000’ worth of stuff ruined from the flood itself," she said.

READ: Venice Theatre is beacon of strength as community continues rebuilding a year after Hurricane Ian

DeClercq, a water safety instructor and lead lifeguard for the city of North Port, didn’t let her own damage stop her from helping others.

"It was a really tough week going forward, but I think going back to work helped a lot. We cleaned up parks and rec for Atwater for a couple of days," she said.

After that, she began placing calls with a makeshift call center.

"I got called into the economic development center to call all the businesses in our area to offer resources to help get back from recovery from hurricane Ian," she shared.

Those in the room each had their own damage, but worked to help others recover.

READ: Sarasota County residents struggle without FEMA assistance one year after Hurricane Ian

"There was a great effort to provide a little bit of normalcy in the days after the storm. I was so impressed by my colleagues and my coworkers here in North Port who really stepped up and despite the challenges they were facing in their own lives they also showed up for the rest of the community and residents in North Port," stated Laura Ansel the marketing and engagement manager for the city of North Port.

With power out and homes damaged North Port City crews worked to reopen the parks and playgrounds while cleaning up the city of debris.

"The unsung heroes of the hurricane were the employees that were here, many of them had damage to their own homes and they spent days and nights here helping us to help others," said North Port city manager Jerome Fletcher.

READ: Aftermath of Hurricane Ian 1 year later, North Port residents rebuild

Recovery is far from over. Blue tarps remain, some now faded as a year has passed. Many are still waiting for insurance payments and can’t wait to put Hurricane Ian in the past.

"Until it happens to you physically, you don’t know the magnitude of it and now that you do I think that people need to take it seriously and be prepared for it like they should because it’ll help in the long run when it does happen again to go through it," stated DeClercq.