NBC2 IAN RECOVERY - An aerial view of Fort Myers Beach

155 Miles winds OMG 😱😳

So sad, I've lived here almost my whole life and have so many memories there and it's just all gone. Love and prayers to all of you in ft myers beach

From Australia we send our❤to all that suffered from hurricane Ian.

This is heartbreaking. Prayers going out from Texas.

Although I'm not oblivious to the fact that hundreds of Floridians may have died here, with scores injured, I find myself grieving a loss as well. The video provided probably is as informative as any I've seen. If a picture is worth a thousand words, guess, with a little imagination, we've got a novel here. Many of us growing up on Estero Island knew we were very fortunate to be living in a tropical paradise. At least till the late 70's when it seemed like the rest of the world wanted a piece of the action too. I remember jumping off of the second or third floor of the first condo being built, into a sand pile below. It happened to go up right across the main drag from where my family lived. My sister and her friends rode their horses, bareback often, up and down the beach while my friends and I would do the same on our minibikes. Bare chested. We raised layers and peddled eggs to our neighbors. I mowed lawns for a buck. Most took half an hour. Good money back then. My father had built a huge sailboat, a twin masted ketch that slept seven. Sorta like a shrimp boat with sails. Slow but steady as she goes. Some of us considered ourselves surfers but, as a big sign attested to before coming onto the island, we lived on "The World's Safest Beach". No hint of undertow or rip tides, as you could wade or swim out an eighth of a mile to find yourself standing in midcalf water on the ever present sandbar. Yes, we had waves, but not ones really meant to surf. I believe the last time I visited was twenty years ago. By then it was "condo city" for the retired snowbirds and a party palace for people of my temperament. I may not have survived this long, had I not moved away. And if I had stayed and managed sobriety, where would I be NOW? It's a small and fragile world we live in. Mother Nature and Father Time take no prisoners. We best make the most of what we got, while we got it. We can love each other, and our home, to the best of our abilities, or we can choose less fruitful alternatives. The choice is our own. And for that we are responsible.

That's Why I don't live on Coastal area..... Only on Vacation These Florida Residents Need All the Help from All people everywhere ❤️✌️☮️. Love is PEACE and Helping ❤️

A lot of us here in the UK are just in shock from what we are seeing. I think we all feel helpless in the fact that we can’t do anything. We just hope your all ok and come together.

Omg the color of the water 😢 I had a friend missing who lived here, but she was found safe today. 🙏

The mobile homes stacked up on each other like the boats 😟 I watched a TikTok live of a woman and her adult children that lived in a trailer park in a ground level home. I haven't seen anything from her since she cut her live feed when she stated that the water had completely flooded her road, her car, and was starting to flood her home. Very scary because that was even before the worse of Ian had hit. She didn't have the money to leave and Fort Myers' gas stations were out of gas which kept her in Fort Myers Beach. I pray her and her family made it through the storm safely.

I am heartbroken 💔 this is my favorite place to be. I was there 4 weeks ago. We go every year.

Heartbreaking. I have been all over that area for work. Drove down from Orlando several times in 2019. Grew up on the Gulf Coast, minutes from Pensacola Beach and have witnessed the devastation of storms like Erin, Opal and Katrina. 🙏🏿♥️ It doesn't get easier. 😢 Praying for everyone.

they just couldn’t stop talking over eachother lol. but praying every person and animal made it and fast recovery❤️‍🩹

Rest in peace all those Floridians that lost their life... strength and prayers for their families

From New Zealand love to everyone effected by this. Wish I could go and help with the recovery ❤😊💯

Don't continue to make bad choices by choosing to live on barrier islands and marshy/swampy regions. They're just heaps of sand and gravel poking out of the water -- of course they'll be the first to get washed over during a storm like this. Sea walls or civil engineering projects like anti-erosion shoreline replenishment projects won't stop the surge of water from another hurricane.

This damage is reminiscent of the aftermath of Camille in 1969. I drove thru Gulfport/Biloxi/Ocean Springs soon after... parts of the Highway 90 roadway itself were altogether missing, 100+ year old historic and majestic beach-side confederate plantation houses were GONE (only their foundations remained), and all green vegetation was stripped off the palms and oak trees. The similarities are remarkable, albeit horrific. My heart goes out to all these affected people in SWFL. The entire nation is praying for you.

Even the places that don’t look decimated, are totaled. Just horrifying, my prayers are for everyone.

Canadian here feeling so heart broken for Florida as it is our beloved vacation spot every May. We wanted to go to Sanibel Island last time but decided on Anna Maria Island. I am so sad for all that is lost. Just as sad for my Beloved East Costa Canada and the destruction left from Hurricane Fiona. God help all who are reeling from this devestation.

I'm watching, blessings, greetings from 🇧🇧🇧🇧👍🤗🥰

This is crazy my father lives in Cape Coral his house is a wreck. I visited fort Myers beach 2 months ago and I’m glad I did it will never be the same again.