Seven years ago, Hurricane Dorian changed the Bahamas forever.
In a matter of hours, homes disappeared, businesses were destroyed, communities were torn apart and thousands of people were forced to begin again.
For the people who survived them, the aftermath can last for years.
On September 1, 2019, Dorian struck Abaco as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane before devastating Grand Bahama. Its winds reached 185 mph, while storm surge and flooding overwhelmed communities.
At least 77 people were confirmed dead, hundreds were initially reported missing and thousands were displaced.
The images of destruction became etched into the country’s memory.
How are the people who survived Dorian actually doing? Did they rebuild? Did they return home? Are they still living with the financial consequences? What happened to the families who had to relocate? And what happened to the communities that once felt like home?
For some survivors, recovery meant rebuilding a house brick by brick. For others, it meant rebuilding a business, finding a new job or starting over in another island, most likely New Providence.
And for some, “recovery” may still feel unfinished. Some wounds cannot be measured in dollars.
The fear that returns when a major hurricane approaches, the memories of that night, the people who never came home, the childhoods interrupted and communities that no longer looks the same.
Seven years later, Dorian is a story about resilience and loss, people who stayed, the people who left and the people still trying to put their lives back together.
What happened to the people after the cameras left?