The NBC docuseries Survivor Mode shares firsthand accounts from Florida residents who endured Hurricane Ian’s devastating impact in September 2022. In the third episode, survivors from Fort Myers Beach describe their efforts to escape rising floodwaters that reached 14 feet and the collapse of their homes.Over 150 people lost their lives during the storm, and the episode highlights the struggle to survive amid extreme conditions. Several individuals detail the life-threatening moments when they had to abandon shelter and navigate floodwaters to find safety.How Fort Myers residents survived rising floodwaters during Hurricane Ian in Survivor ModeHarrowing escape from collapsing home View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMary Wojciechowski recalled the moment their house on Fort Myers Beach began to fail, describing how the roof and floor started "buckling." She also explained that part of the ceiling fell on her head. Wojciechowski, her partner Mitch Pacyna, and their neighbor Bob Campbell were forced to jump into floodwaters approximately 14 feet deep.On the Survivor Mode episode, she described the challenge of helping Pacyna, who did not know how to swim. Wojciechowski planned to tie a sheet around him for support, but was separated after a wave knocked him backward. She resolved firmly not to let the hurricane kill her.Wojciechowski and their dog, Lulu, survived the ordeal, but Pacyna did not. His body was later found half a block away from their home.Rescue efforts and survival tacticsMax Olson @MesoMax919LINKAbsolutely heartbreaking footage captured by our surge probe of catastrophic storm surge washing away homes. I have never seen anything like this. We have now left the area as hoards of emergency crew have arrived. #HurricaneIan FULL VIDEO - https://t.co/DOJJn2VThVAfter escaping the collapsing house, Campbell found safety in a tree, while Wojciechowski held onto a railing in the water. Campbell described that when he looked up, the first thing he noticed was Mary’s arm gripping the railing of a house. Mary emphasized the importance of staying alive, saying,“I just knew I had to survive."Wojciechowski also shared that seeing Bob and knowing he was there made her feel a sense of "safety" during the ordeal.Several hours later, the water level dropped enough for them to move to a neighboring house. Wojciechowski stated she purposely avoided thinking about Pacyna during the ordeal.“I did not think about Mitch. I didn’t want to,” she said on Survivor Mode.She explained that blocking out those thoughts helped her endure. The experience took place over roughly six hours before they found shelter in a house that was still standing.Other accounts of survival in Fort MyersTom Maes, a survivor, is featured in the Survivor Mode episode on Hurricane Ian (Image via NBC)Other survivors shared their experiences during Hurricane Ian. Louis Rouleau recounted being on a houseboat where he had to cut loose a nearby anchored boat to avoid a collision, explaining that it was a matter of choosing between the boat and their own safety. He added,“Once you're in a life-or-death situation, you don't have any feeling anymore, you got to do what you got to do.”Tom Maes and his wife survived rising floodwaters by floating on a mattress inside their home, with waves eventually reaching the roof. After the storm, their daughter found them in poor condition, and they were airlifted for medical care. Maes later shared that recovery involved lasting psychological effects.Survivor Mode is available to watch every Monday at 10 PM ET on NBC and streams the next day on Peacock.