Dustin Sanchez worked as a
bartender at one of the hottest
beach resorts in Fort
Myers beach, Florida (one of the
hardest hit areas), and was planning his wedding in November.
His future was as beautiful as his wife, and life was just about to begin when Hurricane Ian visited. The community has been battered by hurricanes and survived, and this was just another one, or so they thought.
Natural disasters are the
norm in the United States
coastal regions; but survivor
stories and their HOPE are
human characteristics we will
never fully comprehend even
amid 155-mile-per-hour catastrophic
winds, heavy rains,
and storms.
My perfect life was ruined,
and everything I thought I had
and needed in life was taken
away by Hurricane Ian.
I had the ideal job as a bartender
at the Lani Kai hotel and
beach resort for the past six
years. I also lived there and
awoke to the serene sound of
the ocean and its atmosphere.
So when Hurricane Ian was
announced, I did not think it
was anything beyond the ordinary,
having survived Hurricane
Irma. I thought, “This is
just another one, and we will all
get through it.”
Was I ever so wrong
as the storm arrived with a
soul-wrenching stare that
shook our reality? In a matter
of minutes, the water rose from
one foot, then two, then all the
cars in the neighborhood were
underwater, and the fears of
families were louder than the
storm, wind, and rain surging
through the streets. While
I pondered the extent of the
damage, a palm tree fell and
destroyed my new Chevy equinox,
while I stood flabbergasted,
my mom’s house and proposed
wedding gift, crumbled
like a pack of cards and was
swept away by Ian.
It began like every other
day.
Life on the Florida beach is
incredible: the warm sun, white
beaches, turquoise water gently
hitting the beach, and lively
people drinking, laughing, and
sharing a joke. It seemed like
just another day until it wasn’t.
We hear the usual hurricane
stories: a palm tree has fallen,
a power line is down, and cars
are swimming in the water, but
life goes on. This was different.
The emergency team advised
beach residents to evacuate
immediately, and that meant us
(my fiancé and I). Even though
it was not our first storm, we
moved against our wishes. We
had a huge family that included
nine pets—a snake, three mice,
three dogs, and two cats—and
we could not just leave without
thinking about them. We had
to find floaters, in case we had
to swim. The thought of losing
any of them was devastating.
And it was over.
Ian took away my home, my
car, and my life. My girlfriend
stood by me, trying to encourage
me about so many things.
The smallest stuff irritated me.
I could not think straight suddenly
being homeless, car-less
and a future blank as a canvas.
Things got worse. Lani
Kai, where I worked, had to
close due to the damage, as
did other businesses such as
Hooters, which was completely
destroyed. FEMA and the institutions
that were supposed to
help could not. My application
was denied, and all access to
resources that could help was
taken away.
I pay my taxes but am denied
the most basic of rights.
No one cared for me, and it
was not right.
I could not think! It was too
heavy to ignore; citizens’ rights
before, during, and after a hurricane
or disaster should be
protected.
Light after the storm
We were jobless and homeless
and our brother offered to
take us in (humans and pets)
and help us care for them. I
couldn’t stop myself from crying.
Everyone was broken, but people
were still generous and willing
to help with what they had.
And as I wait for Lani Kai
to finish rebuilding and reapplying
for my job, my girlfriend
is also hopeful that her job will
likely be reopened so she can
resume work. Currently, we are
surviving on my pool cleaning
jobs, the love and generosity
of my brother, and many other
people in the community.
Things are coming together
again—it will not be the last,
but we will always survive.
