‘Thank you’: South Fort Myers hotel stays open during Irma

Reporter: Lindsey Sablan
Published: Updated:

SOUTH FORT MYERS, Fla. A simple act of kindness helped dozens during the storm.

The Crowne Plaza Fort Myers At Bell Tower Shops allowed guests to stay even after the hotel was placed in a mandatory evacuation zone.

Daniel Oscar, a night manager at the hotel, was working when the evacuation order came down, sending people into panic.

“I came here and it was chaos in the lobby,” Oscar said.

Oscar went to General Manager Jim Larkin, who made the call. Guests were allowed to stay during the storm as long as they signed a waiver.

Guest George Gulisano was grateful. He had evacuated his Cape Coral home with his 83-year-old parents Luis and Josephina and didn’t know what to do.

“It was a very scary time,” Gulisano said.

Gulisano gave thanks to Oscar “from the bottom of my heart.”

“I don’t want to take credit for what I’m doing right now, it’s a staff effort,” Oscar said. “It’s the whole team that make it happen.”

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.