Florida senior residential community 'unlivable' after flooding from Ian
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The floodwaters have mostly subsided in the Good Samaritan Village leaving behind a shell of its former self.
The homes are a wreck and trash lines the streets. The horrid odor of dead fish in the air. Some people came back to gather their things before moving out for good.
"A lot of good memories are here," said Gary Fairchild. Fairchild and his wife Connie are packing up what they could salvage from their home.
The place they have had since 1992 holds memories and stories gathered over 53 years of marriage. Many they thought were gone forever after Hurricane Ian struck.
When I walked in, I saw these heirlooms from my grandparents untouched. I was just grateful," said Connie. "I know it’s not really good to be invested in things, but, those things are wrapped with memories."
Their floors are still wet and the walls are rotting. Their home, like many others in the "Island" neighborhood, is a loss.
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"What we’re going to miss most here is the community around the church," said Gary. "A lot of us are caregivers. We have a lot of common experiences. A lot of us have traveled. All of us are retired. We’re going to miss that."
The community took a hit when they found one of their own drowned during the storm. The 71-year-old man was found in his home.
"It’s shocking that there’s not more because people didn’t want to leave," said Danny Antonetti.
The Good Samaritan Village tells FOX 35 they are assessing the damage to every home individually. They are asking residents in affected homes to find new places to live as they have nowhere else to relocate them.
For Gary and Connie, they will be living with their children in Portland, Maine. "Next week they will pick up the stuff and we’ll be on our way to our next life," said Gary.
Osceola County says the area is still under a mandatory evacuation.
Good Samaritan representatives say they are working with FEMA on a multi-year grant project to make sure it doesn’t happen again.