When the water slipped in, it was just a glimmer on the floor, a sign that it was time to go.
It was Wednesday, around noon, and Darcy Bishop roused her two brothers who had been resting after lunch. She pulled the wheelchair up to the oldest, Russell Rochow, 66, and heaved him into it before slipping his feet into black Velcro shoes.
Her other brother, Todd Rochow, 63, was in his room, changing out of pajamas. He could manage with a walker.
Both men had been born with cerebral palsy, and their mental development was like that of a young child. About 10 years ago, they started showing signs of Parkinson’s disease. But they found joy in their surroundings. Todd liked collecting cans at the beach and waiting for the mail carrier. Russell loved riding the bus and going to parks. And both had girlfriends. Ms. Bishop, 61, was their lifeline, their little sister who had long felt an obligation to keep them safe.
“We’ve got to get going!” she shouted to Todd. She went to open the door of their home in Naples, Fla. It would not budge. The weight of the water on the other side had cemented it shut.
As Hurricane Ian’s floodwaters rapidly rose in Naples, Florida, Darcy Bishop fought to save her disabled brothers.
This is her story. https://t.co/0Y5pbB4iHk
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 2, 2022