FEMA delays leave Lee County father trapped in holiday nightmare

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Lee County father is beginning 2025 with mounting frustration and uncertainty after repeated delays and lack of communication from FEMA.

Joshua Doxtater, who has been living in a FEMA-issued trailer since May 2023, was originally notified just days before Christmas that the agency would be removing the trailer he and his two young children call home on Christmas Eve.

Doxtater’s story, which was first reported in late December, has since taken a troubling turn.

After receiving the initial notice about Christmas Eve, in a panic, Doxtater took a day off work to pack up his entire trailer and move all his belongings outside. With no time to waste, he drove his two young children up north to spend the holidays with their grandparents, hoping they could have at least a brief moment of normalcy.

Meanwhile, Doxtater stayed behind, trying to figure out what his next steps would be. He took another day off work and waited for FEMA to arrive to take the trailer. Christmas was officially canceled in his household.

But FEMA never showed up, and even as you read this, every single thing Joshua Doxtater owns is laying outside his trailer on the ground, getting ruined in the rain.

Finally he heard back from FEMA several days later. He says they told him they were now coming on Dec. 30 to take the trailer. Getting into somewhat of a routine, Doxtater took his third day off from work- the very last one he has left. And staying true to their routine, FEMA again didn’t show, he said. But at least this time, they gave him a few hour’s notice of the cancellation.

Now, Doxtater is left in a state of limbo, uncertain when the trailer will actually be removed or what his next steps will be. FEMA has told him to “stand by” for a new date, but no specifics have been provided.

“I feel that I’m not important at all, like I don’t even exist,” Doxtater said, expressing his frustration. “I don’t have any rights, I can’t even appeal what they’re doing.”

Doxtater’s experience has highlighted what he sees as a lack of accountability and support from FEMA during an already difficult time. The uncertainty surrounding the trailer removal has left him struggling to plan for his family’s future, especially as they face yet another holiday season in limbo.

Perhaps even more important, this marks another holiday alone from his children.

FEMA confirmed the cancellation of the Dec. 30 pickup, but declined to provide further details about the delays or a new timeline.

This story is ongoing, and updates will be provided as they become available.