Hurricane Ian has pummeled our  region. We’ve had false alarms in the past, but this was not one of those times.

Further down the coast from us, a Fort Myers Beach council member told CNN, “There’s literally nothing to come back to.” He estimated that 90% of the island was gone.

People are grieving for their devastated communities, and over the coming days some will grieve over lost family members and friends.

Meanwhile, as of Sept. 29, those affected by power outages across Florida reached 2.6 million, around a quarter of the population.

So we’re in very trying times in Florida. But I’m always amazed by seeing businesses, government agencies and communities come together to recover, rebuild and, at some point, restart.

Already there were reportedly 42,000 linemen ready to roll into areas throughout the state and restore power. Neighboring states have sent crews, and even ones that aren’t nearby, such as New Jersey, are providing help. Meanwhile, insurance companies will send disaster claims specialists to help policyholders recover the estimated $20 billion to $40 billion in losses (though there are concerns about the Florida insurance market’s financial stability).

During the worst times we see what this country is really about. Time after time, I’m inspired by how people put aside their differences to help one another out. Nonprofit organizations race to provide much-needed services to those in need. We see the business community donate goods, services, funds and employee time.

After Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and other states in 2018, for example, NextEra Energy donated funds from their charitable arms and matched employee giving. Other companies that provided similar support to those affected by the hurricane included Walt Disney Company, UnitedHealth Group, Publix … the list goes on and on.

Meanwhile, others who want to help get innovative. Students from Gulf Coast State College sent drones through the storm area to create aerial surveys and collect storm data. Their efforts helped first responders get to critical need areas.

And some people, some anonymous and some not, risked their own lives to save others, even pets.

America is a rugged, sometimes inhospitable land with all kinds of natural disasters. We get it all here: hurricanes, floods, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes – even volcanic eruptions.

Our recent history has shown how we can all come together during our darkest hours to prevail. Based on what I’ve seen in the early moments after Hurricane Ian left our area, we’ll respond to this the same way we always have.

Evan R. Guido is the founder of Aksala Wealth Advisors LLC, a 2018 Forbes Next-Gen Advisors List Member, and Financial Professional at Avantax Investment ServicesSM. Evan heads a team of retirement transition strategists for clients who consider themselves the “Millionaire Next Door.” He can be reached at 941-500-5122 or eguido@aksalawealth.com. Read more of his insights at heraldtribune.com/business. Securities offered through Avantax Investment ServicesSM, member FINRA, SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Avantax Advisory ServicesSM, insurance services offered through an Avantax affiliated insurance agency. 6260 Lake Osprey Drive, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34240.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: EVAN GUIDO: History shows Florida's resilience after natural disasters