Gary Murphy has lived in Fort Myers since he changed into 18 years antique. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, his metropolis is unrecognizable.

“It is a war zone,” he tells PEOPLE. “It’s only a war sector.”The 74-12 months-antique and his spouse stay on 10-mile canal in South Fort Myers.

The couple evacuated to Fort Lauderdale simply hours before the Category 4 hurricane hit Wednesday, however they went back for some hours Thursday to survey the harm and reconnect with their son Michael, who’d stayed behind together with his own family. The more youthful Murphy had a harrowing night rescuing dozens of his associates.

“I informed people earlier than I left to get out,” says Gary, who observed Lee County’s mandatory evacuation order, “however Michael stayed because he has a two-tale domestic.”

As a result in their volatile selection, Michael and his family had been pressured as much as their 2nd story while the water began growing.

Around eight p.M. Wednesday, the 50-12 months-antique found out his turned into the handiest -tale house within the community — and those nearby might be in danger.

His father-in-law, Roy Johnson, a business fisherman who owns a ship, become driving out the hurricane with them.

The guys got his Carolina Skiff and started out guidance it thru the community, the streets now greater like an extension of the canal they stay on.

“When the water commenced developing, first they rescued a girl next door who has a infant with special desires,” says Gary. “She lives doorways down.

They realized she became there and simply went and were given them. The water become so high that any house that became a unmarried-story house become under water.”

Michael and his father-in-law introduced the female, named Patsy, and her grandson over to their house because the water continued to upward thrust.

“I know Patsy wouldn’t have survived if we hadn’t been there,” says Michael, who realized more of his friends were likely in threat and began going door to door in the boat.

“Most of the human beings had been on the point of move into their attic, this is all they might do,” says Michael. “Some people swam over to our house the use of their pool noodles.”

“There turned into approximately eight ft. Of water inside the neighborhood. They all stay on the canal. That’s why they got a lot flooding,” Gary explains.

Gary says Michael and Roy “might pound on the door until people may want to pay attention them,” leading to the rescue of 29 humans and several dogs and cats.

“He picked them up and taken them to his residence,” says Gary.

“His residence become the most effective secure one. Five doors down there was a house on fire. It become an electrical fire and it burned the residence to the floor.”

Michael’s son Hunter, 27, went alongside for a number of the rescues — and it’s a good component.

At one factor after they were looking to get to a few trapped buddies, a part of a roof started to fall apart.

On intuition, Hunter reached as much as stop it, preventing it from crashing into his father.

Gary tells PEOPLE, “The roof might have overwhelmed him inside the head and Hunter became able to deflect it together with his arm.

We took him to the sanatorium nowadays, and it is not broken, but he has a bad bruise.”

Once the water began receding, Michael and his father-in-law then found a way to get absolutely everyone out of the community.

“After the storm, water went down a bit,” says Gary. “There’s no automobiles, all their motors are under water, so he took the boat and went to his place of job, Marina Mikes, and he were given a flatbed truck and a wrecker that was tall and was capable of pass down the street.” The acquaintances are actually all in temporary housing — maximum with friends and family.

Gary says Michael continues to be identifying wherein he’s going to be staying. Though he is proud of his son, he bristles on the word “hero.”

“Michael and his father-in-regulation had the manner to do it,” says Gary. “Nobody else had a ship.”

Hurricane Ian made landfall as an “extraordinarily risky” Category four hurricane with sustained winds of a hundred and fifty mph on Wednesday just after three p.M.

Nearby time, near Cayo Costa, Fla., in step with the National Hurricane Center.

By Thursday morning, greater than 2.Five million people in Florida have been with out strength as a result of the giant devastation caused by the hurricane, which snapped apart trees, leveled houses and tore down energy lines throughout the coastline. Storm surges reached almost 7 feet. High in areas like Fort Myers, whilst 12 feet. Water tiers have been recorded in Naples.

“We’ve in no way visible storm surge of this value,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis informed reporters Friday.

“The amount of water it is been rising, and will probable hold to rise these days whilst the typhoon is passing, is largely a 500-yr flooding event.”

At least sixty seven human beings in Florida have been killed, CNN suggested Sunday, citing officers. Thousands more have been unaccounted for.

President Joe Biden said Ian “can be the deadliest typhoon in Florida’s history” throughout an deal with from FEMA headquarters on Thursday.

“The numbers we’ve are still doubtful, however we are listening to early reports of what may be large lack of life,” the president added.

“We know many households are hurting. Many, many, are hurting today.”

— Roma52 (@Roma5276) October 3, 2022

Ian made its third landfall in South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane on Friday afternoon. At least four deaths have been said in North Carolina because of typhoon-related activities.