STEINHATCHEE, Fla. — Towns and communities across Florida's Big Bend region began the long road to recovery on Friday, surveying the damage left in the wake of Category 4 Hurricane Helene.
WPTV reporter Joel Lopez has been in the coastal town of Steinhatchee where he spoke to people who are picking up the pieces of what's left in their town.
At the front entrance of Roy's Restaurant, there was nothing left but rubble Friday. The town was all but washed away from Helene.
The restaurant, located along the Steinhatchee River, was now a pile of debris.
Owner Linda Wicker and her staff were busy salvaging what was left.
"I just knew we had to get to work," Wicker said. "You don't have time to feel sorry for yourself. You have to get moving."
The latest hurricane came after they just repaired the restaurant from Hurricane Idalia last year.
"Do you think you're going to rebuild again?" Lopez asked.
"Oh yeah," Wicker said. "The community depends on us, and we depend on them."
This is the third hurricane to hit the town in just over a year.
Resident Pam Keen evacuated because of the storm surge.
She said her faith kept her house standing through the hurricane.
"Everybody was praying," Keen said.
Now, she's getting ready to help her neighbors.
Piece by piece, the community is now working together to rebuild.
Wicker said she's already contacted architects and engineers as she prepares to rebuild and is considering a food truck or a trailer while the building is reconstructed.
