It was a beautiful island once, and it still could be,” resident Daniel DeBaun said. “But they have a lot of work to get back.”

Officials say most of the city of Bradenton Beach was destroyed by Hurricane Helene, which caused devastating damage to Anna Maria Island on the Gulf Coast of Florida. The barrier island lies between Sarasota and St.

Over time, the question of whether to stay or go will likely become a question of whether to keep living in coastal or low-lying areas at all.