Calm water flowed under the Matlacha Bridge on Monday, but a few days ago, aggressive waves crashed onto the bridge from Hurricane Helene.
“I got a long way to go…doing this all again is a shock,” Matlacha homeowner Cheri Boyd said as she began cleaning up her home.
Watch Fox 4 Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades’ report below:
“I GOT A LONG WAY TO GO,” Clean-up on Matlacha after Helene floods the island
Boyd bought her home one month after Ian. She repaired it with new floors and everything, but two years later, she’s doing it again.
“Pretty much nauseous when you’re helpless, when you’re watching your home be flooded,” Boyd described how she felt when she heard from her neighbors about the storm.
She drove down from Illinois and started cleaning her driveway full of debris, sand and mud.
Only a few inches of water flooded her home, but her sun room saw the most damage with several feet of water.
Boyd said she knows hurricanes are a part of life here and to her, it’s worth the risk of living in Florida.