A helping hand for Stan the Man

My dad, Stan Pentz’s, condo in Fort Myers rapidly flooded with the surge while he was inside. The last text I got from him was that he was trying to get out and the water was up to his shoulders. I didn’t hear from him for 20 hours.

During that 20 hours he tried to swim across his condo parking lot to the next building with a 2nd floor. While swimming he kicked something and realized it was the top of his car. The surge took him and he swallowed water, he thought he was going to drown. He was pushed into a wall of trees where he wrapped his arms and legs around branches to hold onto where he was. He held onto the trees in a category 4 hurricane of wind and rain for hours.

When the surge started to slow he was able to wade through the water to the 2nd story condo. He wedged himself in a corner of the condo building until sunrise. He then walked to the Publix he works at and had someone contact me.

My sister Alissa and her husband and PJ picked him up and brought him back to his place and it is complete devastation. His condo was completely submerged in mud and water. His car completely flooded and he has lost all of his possessions.

My dad’s fighting spirit to live and God’s mercy got him through this truly grueling experience. He is currently living with us until we can get him back on his feet. He is truly a survivor and I am just so grateful.

We have had many people reach out on how they can help and I figured this is the best way. He truly is starting from square one and has lost everything. We know there are so many people who need help and my dad truly appreciates any help he is given.

There is so much devastation in our community and we are just truly blessed that my dad is alive.