By: Evan Peterson

Disbelief. That was the overwhelming emotion Patrick Desmond felt as he stared out of his second-floor window, watching the world he once knew float away.

“You wouldn’t think it came from a storm. This [hurricane] without a doubt – the surge was just devastating.”

Desmond has lived across the street from the beach of Ft. Myers for decades and has ridden out many hurricanes from this exact same spot.

However, he says Ian was different and by the time he realized this, it was too late for him to evacuate.

When the flood waters finally receded, Desmond says the destruction left in its wake was overwhelming.

Many people felt hopeless and forgotten; however, the sight of a familiar emblem changed that.

“The one thing people were saying the most that they wanted to see: National Guard and the American Red Cross. If those two groups are here, you feel way more secure – as soon as you see that Red Cross.”

Since Hurricane Ian made landfall, the American Red Cross has helped hundreds of thousands of people. If you’d like to contribute to our mission, information can be found here.