Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander
•7/15/2026
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A Fort Myers family turned to WINK Investigates for help after they say an unlicensed contractor took thousands of dollars from them after Hurricane Ian for work that was never completed.
Following the devastating blow of Hurricane Ian, the Stephens family trusted a contractor named Orlando Henderson and his company Superior Construction to repair their beloved family home. The situation now has the family fearing the loss of that home.
The home belonged to 93-year old Vera Stephens, one of the first black registered nurse practitioners in Lee County according to her family.
Chief WINK Investigates Reporter Chorus Nylander spoke with Stephens’ daughter Stephanie and granddaughter Nikijha Stephens Lynch Escobar.
They both expressed how hard the situation has been and how the loss of that $4,200 deposit had a cascading impact on their family.
For Nikija Escobar and her mother, Stephanie Stephens, the concrete block home in Lee County is more than just property—it is a vessel of their family's history. They say it was the first concrete block home on the street, going back to the 1960s.
"This home means a lot," Escobar told WINK Investigates. "This is our home."
“I went into labor in this house,” Stephanie said.
When Chorus Nylander first interviewed them back in May, Vera was in a rehab facility recovering from health complications. They were hoping to make the home a safe place for her to come back to.
On top of the lost deposit, the family had to take out a $10,000 high-interest loan to cover what should have been the rest of the repair costs.
WINK Investigates attempted to contact Henderson for several weeks but received no response.
All calls to his phone number, which was listed on the contract they signed, goes to a voicemail that has not been set up. Text messages to the number have gone unreturned. WINK Investigates could not find a physical address for him beyond a P.O. box.
State records reveal that Henderson does not hold a business or contractor's license in the state of Florida.
"Filtering through this has been a lot, and I’m tired," Escobar said.
As the family struggled to recover their stolen funds and secure their home, the City of Fort Myers hit them with code violations due to the unresolved hurricane damage.
The family is currently facing fines of $250 per day, which are capped at a maximum of $25,000.
For Stephanie Stephens, who has worked for Lee County Schools for over 40 years and is preparing to retire, the financial burden is crushing. "I'll have to work after I retire, let's put it like that," she said.
Just days after speaking with WINK Investigates in May, the family's worst fears came to pass. Vera Stephens, who fought hard to recover in rehab with the hope of seeing her beloved home one last time, passed away. She never got to return to the house she built her life in.
"It weighs on your mental health, and at some point, I feel it’s still hard for her [my mother] to fully grieve," Escobar said, reflecting on the heavy toll the situation has taken on Stephanie.
The Stephens family recently appeared before a Special Magistrate to plead for a freeze on the mounting city fines.
While city officials stated they would take the matriarch's passing and the alleged contractor fraud into consideration, there is no guarantee the fines will be waived. For now they remain.
Furthermore, a city spokesperson told WINK Investigates that because the family owns more than one property, they do not qualify for city financial assistance.
Below is the full statement from the City:
“If the homeowner comes into compliance with the violations at some point, then they can request a mitigation hearing before the Code Board to request the fines be reduced or waived completely. City staff would support waiving the fines, except for any hard costs incurred by staff.
Additionally, City staff looked into housing rehabilitation assistance for the homeowner, but the homeowner did not qualify. The homeowner had previously applied and was denied receiving assistance through the grants program due to the policy that applicants cannot own a second home/property.”
For now, the family remains in limbo, left to grieve their matriarch while fighting to protect the walls that hold her memory.
If you have a story you’d like WINK Investigates to look into, email us at winkinvestigates@winknews.com or call our tip line at 239-344-5074.
