CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. (WFLA) — Friday marks one year since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida.
Flooding destroyed homes and businesses in Citrus County.
In Crystal River, authorities alerted residents about the impending storm surge, yet many who opted to stay were caught off guard by the severity of the flooding. Local native William Bunch took it upon himself to assist families using his airboat.
“People are still stuck in their homes, and we’ve been continuously going back and forth to rescue them,” Bunch shared amid the storm. “We’ve encountered numerous individuals stranded atop their vehicles. It’s unbelievable. I’ve never witnessed anything quite like this.”
Bunch piloted his boat to lead 8 Your Side crews through the destruction in downtown Crystal River. Water inundated shops, restaurants, and various businesses. In nearby neighborhoods, homes were overtaken by several feet of storm surge.
Bunch remains in disbelief over the extent of damage observed immediately after Helene’s impact. Now, he is focused on aiding the reconstruction and repair of storm-damaged homes.
“As a community, everyone is coming together to restore things to their former state,” he noted. “It will never be exactly the same, but we can certainly get close to the way things were.”
Bunch mentioned that many homeowners are elevating their homes on stilts and implementing additional hurricane safety measures. He affirmed his commitment to assisting the community if faced with another storm.
