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The docuseries Survival Mode episode 3, which aired on July 21, 2025, on NBC, vividly captures the human toll through survivors’ stories of Hurricane Ian. It was a Category 4 storm that struck Southwest Florida in September 2022, leaving a trail of devastation, claiming lives, and reshaping communities like Fort Myers Beach.
The episode dives into the chaos of one of Florida’s deadliest hurricanes since 1935. It highlights the storm’s catastrophic storm surge, relentless winds, and emotional aftermath.
Featuring firsthand accounts, it follows three groups of residents who stayed behind, facing life-or-death decisions as their homes crumbled. Viewers can watch Survival Mode: Hurricane Ian on NBC
5 details of Survival Mode's Hurricane Ian's
1. Catastrophic storm surge overwhelmed Fort Myers Beach
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Hurricane Ian’s storm surge, reaching 12–18 feet, transformed Fort Myers Beach into a “post-apocalyptic wasteland.” Floodwaters inundated homes, sweeping away cars and reaching rooflines. Survivors like Mary Wojciechowski and Bob Campbell saw their house collapse as water rose rapidly, forcing them to cling to railings and trees to survive, as per the NBC show.
The surge destroyed the Fort Myers Beach pier and damaged the Sanibel Causeway, isolating communities. Satellite imagery later revealed altered coastlines, with sand burying roads and homes.
The episode highlights how the tidal waves caught residents off guard, as many underestimated the storm based on past hurricanes, like Irma. This unprecedented flooding claimed lives and left thousands displaced, with recovery teams mapping extensive damage across the coast.
2. Homes collapsed under relentless wind and water
Ian’s 150 mph winds tore through Fort Myers Beach, buckling roofs and floors. Mary Wojciechowski described her home’s ceiling collapsing, narrowly escaping injury as she and her partner, Mitch Pacyna, faced rising floodwaters.
Neighbor Bob Campbell recalled the house “buckling” around them, forcing them to flee into the storm. The episode shows how structures, unprepared for such intensity, crumbled, leaving residents like Tom Maes and his wife floating on a mattress to survive.
Remote sensing revealed thinned forests and obliterated infrastructure, underscoring the storm’s power to reshape the landscape. These accounts highlight the chaos as residents fought to survive collapsing homes, as per Earth Data NASA.
3. Survivors faced life-or-death decisions
Survival Mode episode 3 captures split-second decisions that defined survival. The Fancher family, lulled by past hurricanes, stayed home but faced devastating flooding. A group of boaters moored offshore battled waves, while neighbors like Mitch Pacyna and Mary Wojciechowski were swept into floodwaters.
Pacyna, known as Fort Myers Beach’s “unofficial mayor,” tragically died after being carried away by the surge, as per News-Press. Bob Campbell survived by clinging to a tree, which he described as “hugging” him with perfectly placed branches.
These stories reveal how residents, underestimating Hurricane Ian’s strength, made desperate choices—some climbing onto roofs, others holding onto debris, as per NBC. The episode underscores the emotional weight of these moments, as survivors like Mary focused on staying alive while watching loved ones struggle.
4. Emotional and physical toll on survivors
The episode reveals the profound toll on survivors, both physically and mentally. Tom Maes and his wife, found by their daughter Dayna Fancher, were “beaten up” and “unable to move” after floating through the storm. Maes shared that nightmares of the destruction haunted him for nearly a year, as per NBC.
Mary Wojciechowski, who lost her partner, Mitch, clung to hope by keeping neighbor Bob in sight, finding safety in their shared struggle. The storm’s aftermath left thousands displaced, with many, like 93-year-old Tom Hinkle, losing homes, cars, and possessions, as per the Washington Standard.
The episode features first responder T.J. Temples’ accounts of rescuing hundreds from flooded homes, highlighting the community’s resilience amidst grief. These stories show how Ian’s devastation lingered long after the waters receded, as per the Washington Post
5. Environmental and infrastructure devastation
Hurricane Ian reshaped Fort Myers Beach’s geography, as shown in Survival Mode. Satellite data revealed destroyed vegetation, sand-covered roads, and piers that were washed away. The storm damaged 52,514 structures in Lee County alone, with 5,369 destroyed, and affected 15% of U.S. beehives in Florida, malnourishing surviving bees, as per Iowa State University and WUFT News.
The Sanibel Causeway’s partial collapse isolated residents, and a Fort Myers cement dock was carried two blocks inland, illustrating the surge’s power. Recovery efforts mapped unprecedented damage, with insurance losses estimated $47 billion, according to NESDIS.
Watch Survival Mode streaming on NBC.
