Tow truck driver leads a nomadic and hectic life in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian
ESTERO, Fla., — Hurricane Ian ruined hundreds of thousands of vehicles in South Florida this fall. They were found tossed, submerged and drying out on roads, barrier islands, canals, garages and driveways. It was a bonanza for tow truck drivers, who got inundated with work, lifting and moving wrecked and waterlogged vehicles.
In late September, photos of wrecked homes, businesses and boats competed with images of ruined vehicles. Salt water damage will claim car engines, chassis and interiors in the months ahead. For Florida, as well as parts of North Carolina and Virginia, property damage estimates are as high as $70 billion.
The next steps for homeowners and motorists alike are often hard to navigate.
CARFAX has estimated 358,000 vehicles were damaged by Ian. Most of the cases were in Florida.
Yamil Villafane, a 27-year-old driver who runs a towing service from Orlando, has seen his fair share of them.
There was so much work, in fact, that he had to live in his truck the first couple of weeks after the storm.
"This is not for everybody," Villafane said while on the road one day. "You have to be really disciplined to be out here."
