Hurricane Ian Oral History Podcast
Hurricane Ian changed Southwest Florida forever. Hear powerful oral histories from survivors in this podcast series on loss, resilience, and the aftermath.
On Sept. 28, 2022, Hurricane Ian changed Southwest Florida forever. This limited podcast series features oral histories from people impacted by the storm. Each episode centers on personal accounts from survivors, offering first hand reflections on their experiences, losses and resilience in the aftermath.
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Brian Boddie was inside his home with his dogs, Mini and Benny, when Hurricane Ian struck, leaving him injured and trapped for days. -
As a first responder, Cape Coral Fire Department Battalion Chief Christopher Moore helped others before salvaging his own flooded home. -
After Hurricane Ian damaged his manufactured home, Dan Kunz was left living in his truck and preparing to leave Southwest Florida. -
Diane Brumbaugh took shelter from Hurricane Ian in the clubhouse at Creekside RV Resort in Charlotte County. Though she lost her home, Diane remains determined to stay in Florida and move forward. -
Brothers Kenneth and Eugene Gavin grew up on Sanibel Island. Eugene's Sanibel home was damaged during Hurricane Ian and he repaired it himself — a testament to family ties and perseverance.
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The Johnson family, the owners of Bailey’s General Store, plan to rebuild their iconic store after Ian destroyed it. -
Kaye DeHays and her husband stayed in their elevated bungalow on Fort Myers Beach as Hurricane Ian approached. They believed they were prepared, but the storm proved that every hurricane brings new dangers. -
Naples resident Kerry Fagan was recovering from knee surgery at home when Hurricane Ian struck, flooding her house and setting her on a difficult path marked by resilience and loss. -
As Hurricane Ian tore through her home, Saylor Davis huddled in a closet with her mother and pets. -
Vincent Keeys, president of the NAACP of Collier County, details the challenges and determination required to help Naples’ River Park neighborhood rebuild after Hurricane Ian.
This project was produced by Susan Gard, with production support from Tanner Jenni. Original interviews were conducted by Janine Zeitlin, Susan Gard, and Sandra Viktorova. Narration by Sara Jordan. Support for Hurricane Stories is made possible by a grant from Florida Humanities and the Community Foundation of Sarasota.
To learn more about the impact of Hurricane Ian, watch the documentary Rising: Surviving the Surge at wgcu.org.
Photos by Tom James/WGCU and Andrew West/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images