Punta Gorda, Fla. – Hurricane Milton caused severe flooding in downtown Punta Gorda two years ago, with storm surge waters rising up to three feet and significantly damaging local businesses.
Lee Richardson, owner of Leroy’s Southern Kitchen & Bar, shared the impact of the flooding, which hit his restaurant just two weeks after Hurricane Helene. “It was a pretty devastating chain of events,” he said, reflecting on his 51 years living in Charlotte County and never witnessing such flooding.
The storm surge necessitated the complete replacement of drywall and insulation in his restaurant. He expressed gratitude for the community’s support, which raised $47,000 via a GoFundMe organized by his sister, distributed among employees to help offset their lost wages during the recovery.
Despite ongoing progress, Richardson noted that the community still faces challenges in dealing with the aftermath of the storm.
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