Iconic Sanibel Lighthouse relit 5 months to the day after Hurricane Ian's catastrophic strike
After being out of commission following Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel Lighthouse was relighted for the first time. It was a welcome sight of the recovery on Florida's west coast.
Sanibel Lighthouse relit 5 months after Hurricane Ian hit Florida
The Sanibel Lighthouse was officially relit Tuesday morning after being out of commission since Hurricane Ian hit. The lighthouse had lost one of its legs during the storm.
SANIBEL, Fla. – A sign of hope shines bright Tuesday morning after destruction in Southwest Florida.
After being out of commission following Hurricane Ian, the Sanibel Lighthouse was relighted for the first time. It was a welcome sight of the recovery on Florida's west coast.
"We see this lighthouse as a beacon of hope, a beacon of life and a beacon of community," said Sanibel Island Mayor Holly Smith during a relighting ceremony Tuesday morning.
HURRICANE SEASON 2022 COMES TO AN END. TAKE A LOOK AT THE SCARS LEFT BEHIND
A Florida Army National Guard chinook helicopter delivers supplies after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Oct. 8, 2022, in Sanibel, Florida.
(Joe Raedle / Getty Images)
The Sanibel Lighthouse was damaged by Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022, and has not been operable since the storm. City officials said the hurricane broke away one of the lighthouse legs, which was replaced with a temporary wooden support.
Electrical repairs were completed earlier this month on Sanibel’s iconic lighthouse, which began operation in 1884. The U.S. Coast Guard also replaced the light following the destruction of the Category 4 hurricane that ranks among the 10 costliest in U.S. history.
"Hurricane Ian came on our shores and changed what our shores look like," Smith said. "But what it didn't change is what our community looks like."
As Smith looked at the island's lighthouse as the sun began to rise Tuesday, she remembered all the calls, texts and emails from residents following Ian on the condition of the recognizable lantern of light.
"There were so many calls from around the world wondering about this iconic beacon that is such a symbol to Sanibel, and it's a piece of so many people's hearts," she said.
Watch: Drone footage shows extent of damage done to Sanibel Island by Hurricane Ian
Drone footage shows the extent of damage done by Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island. Hurricane shutters on one home were just blown through like it was tin foil.
Smith said seeing the light again is important for everyone because it's a light that will keep shining on Sanibel.
"We will all be shining on Sanibel," she exclaimed.
Deadliest storm of the year
Ian slammed into the Fort Myers area as a Category 4 hurricane with 150-mph winds. Those destructive winds pushed feet of water ashore from the Gulf of Mexico that tore across barrier islands and gutted buildings along the coast. Some beach homes sported high-water marks at nearly 12 feet on the barrier islands like Sanibel.
FOX Weather hurricane expert Bryan Norcross said prominent parts of Southwest Florida from south of Fort Myers to north of Charlotte Harbor, about 50 miles of coastline, have been changed forever following the deadliest storm of the year.
IAN’S DESTRUCTION EXPECTED TO RANK IN TOP 10 COSTLIEST HURRICANES IN US HISTORY
Watch: Sanibel Island woman survives Ian in her condo
Lorraine Regan shares video taken while sheltering in her condo on Sanibel Island during Hurricane Ian, and the aftermath of the historic storm.
More than 100 people died from the storm, and reports show that most drowned. First responders rescued almost 2,500 in the Sunshine State alone.
Sections of the Sanibel Causeway, which uses a series of bridges to connect the island to the mainland, were washed away. Boats and helicopters were the only way to reach the island in the immediate aftermath of Ian, which complicated rescue and recovery efforts.
'MIRACULOUS': SANIBEL CAUSEWAY REOPENS TO ISLAND RESIDENTS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE HURRICANE IAN
An aerial picture taken on September 30, 2022 shows the collapsed Sanibel Causeway in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Sanibel, Florida.
(RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP / Getty Images)