More than a month after Hurricane Ian unleashed its fury on Southwest Florida, parts of the area are still unrecognizable.
"It's going to be tough. Psychologically it's going to be difficult. it is always for the red cross workers who get to be one of the first responders after the storm," explains Craig Rhodes, an Arizona-based Red Cross volunteer who ABC15 caught up with as he was beginning a two-week stay in the region.
"It's going to be heartbreaking and you just have to feel compassion for what they lost."
Craig and his team will help with damage assessments, which will help homeowners get crucial insurance payments and eventually loans to rebuild their homes --and more importantly, rebuild their lives.
At least 127 people died in Hurricane Ian. The storm also caused $75 billion in damage.
"It is a labor of love," says Craig. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to do it...we are the actual boots on the ground that go out and take pictures of the actual dwelling."
Craig is no stranger to disaster zones. He is a Vietnam veteran, serving in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief sergeant. It's valuable experience, but not the only experience he will draw from.
