Kentucky native loses three rental properties to Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (WKYT) - A woman from Mt. Sterling was in Florida when Hurricane Ian hit last week, but was able to travel two hours away just in time.

She’s now back in Fort Myers Beach to find her three rental properties a total loss.

“All I could do is just cry and pray, that’s all you can do,” Kim Walters Dice said.

Dice owns three vacation rental properties two miles from Fort Myers Beach. She tells us they are all now unhabitable.

“They had the fire and rescue folks still going door to door checking to see if anybody is still in the resort. They’re still finding people that stayed and didn’t make it, which is unbelievable,” Walters Dice said.

She says she’s awaiting word from FEMA, which might condemn the entire Indian Creek resort community since many of the properties were entirely underwater.

For now, she’s staying in a nearby home with a friend, who still doesn’t have power.

“You can’t get gas anywhere all the stores are closed,” Walters Dice said. “That’s where it’s an issue. My husband brought down several gallons of gas with him. you pretty much have to drive a good distance.”

The one bright spot in a sea of darkness, is the small piece of home that withstood hurricane winds and swift-moving water.

“Was our cute little sign, that says ‘Go Big Blue,’” Walters Dice said.

A reminder of where she’s from and what she’s worked for.

“It survived, Go Big Blue Paradise, which is our vacation rentals,” Walters Dice said. “Fort Myers Beach. The signs made it, but nothing else made it.”

So many acknowledge that, in this tragedy, their sense of relief, is someone else’s grief.

“I think I’m in such shock right now, I don’t even know what to think about it,” Walters Dice said.

Copyright 2022 WKYT. All rights reserved.