Residents of Matlacha are once again facing devastation as Hurricane Helene delivered flooding that nearly matched the destruction left behind by Hurricane Ian just two years ago.
Charlie Murgia decided to ride out Hurricane Helene alone at his waterfront home. Little did he know, the flooding from Helene would nearly rival what he had experienced during Ian.
“I have a little sign by the front door that my daughter Gianna painted for me,” Charlie said. “It marks where the water rose during Ian. This storm was only three inches lower.”
Charlie Murgia said Hurricane Ian brought 31 inches of water into his home. Hurricane Helene brought 28 inches.
Gianna Murgia said her father and neighbors rode out the Hurricane in their homes because their area wasn’t under an evacuation order.
“This area wasn’t even in an evacuation zone, so my dad and so many of our neighbors stayed to ride out the storm,” Gianna said. “But then we kept getting updates from my dad—he called saying, ‘I think this could turn into another Hurricane Ian situation.’ It was terrifying."
The storm surge from Hurricane Helene pushed more than two feet of water into Charlie's home, even causing his refrigerator to float. Charlie's next-door neighbor’s boat floated into their pool.
“I was squinting, looking at it, thinking, ‘Her boat, it’s in her pool!’” Charlie said, still in disbelief.
The next day, Charlie’s family flew in to help him begin the daunting task of cleaning up the mess.
“I love my family — they came right away,” Charlie said.
Despite their quick response, much of Charlie’s furniture and appliances were lost to the flooding. Even his pickup truck wasn’t spared.
For Gianna, the cleanup process was all too familiar. Having gone through it after Hurricane Ian, she and her family found themselves back at square one, removing soaking wet rugs, couches, and mattresses, as well as ripping out drywall to prevent mold from taking hold.
“The first day was definitely the grossest,” Gianna said. “It was just getting out all of that muck, heavy couches, and soaked mattresses.”
It’s a situation no family wants to relive, but for Gianna, the timing feels especially cruel.
“It’s been two years since this tragedy, and we finally felt like we had fully recovered — just in the last six months,” she said. “And now, it feels like we’re starting all over again.”
Despite the challenges, Charlie remains optimistic.
“That night, I was upset,” he said. “But now? This won’t beat me. It only makes you stronger.”
As the community of Matlacha works to recover once again, residents are relying on that strength, hoping for better days ahead.