Only on 7: WNY man speaks about rescue after Hurricane Ian

FORT MYERS, FL. (WKBW) — Video from the U.S. Coast Guard shows a heroic rescue of a Western New York man.

Jay Stoddard, who lived in Ellicottville, spoke exclusively with 7 News' Kristen Mirand about the terrifying day he will never forget.

After Hurricane Ian devastated Florida's west coast, a U.S. Coast Guardsmen rescued Jay Stoddard from his boat in the middle of the bay in Fort Myers Beach, but hours before that, Stoddard did not think this would happen to him.

He explained how he tied up his boat to the dock, and hunkered down in the Snook Bright Marina with his wife all while keeping an eye on the their boat, but as the wind picked up, a boat next to his broke free. Stoddard ran out to the dock to secure his boat and prevent it from getting hit.

"I didn't take a phone. I didn't take an ID. I didn't take anything at all. I just kind of ran out in my bathing suit," Stoddard said.

Suddenly, a huge gust of wind snapped the dock his boat was connected to, and Stoddard was trapped with no way back to shore. The boat started making its way down the bay.

"When the boat was, you know, traveling through the water, I couldn't see anything because the rain was coming down so hard and the water was coming up over the boat. It's incredible how your survival instincts just kick in," he said.

Stoddard had no choice but to ride out the Category Four storm.

"The whole port side of the boat was laying in the water and I really kind of thought the boat was going to capsize, at that point, and at that point in time I didn't know if I was going to make it or not," Stoddard said.

His boat eventually hit mangroves about a mile out from the marina. The boat eventually went upright. He was able to get a call out to the U.S. Coast Guard through his radio. Stoddard slept on the boat until they could reach him the next morning.

"In a few minutes it was hovering over our head and that's when they extracted me out of the boat," he said.

Stoddard got his two trash bags with his belongings and got into the rescue basket to be hoisted to safety. As he made his way into the helicopter, there was a feeling of relief.

Stoddard said he was not able to go immediately go back to the marina following the rescue. There were two other people that needed to be rescued. Eventually, the helicopter was ordered to land at an airport in Punta Gorda. Stoddard said he had no money or phone.

Thankfully, he met a woman who let him borrow her phone. He called a good friend of his who owns a home in Punta Gorda to see if he could stay at the house. A man from the airport offered to drive Stoddard to his friend's home. From there, the neighbor next to his friend's home drove him 60 miles to Fort Myers Beach.

Stoddard got to the base of the bridge, and officials were not letting anyone cross. After Stoddard explained his situation, they let him go through. When he crossed, he found an old bike that had been buried in the sand.

"I rode the three miles down the beach, and finally got back to the marina about 4 o'clock," he said.

He left the marina at 2 p.m. and got back the next day more than 24 hours later. When he found his wife, he was relieved.

"We obviously hugged and kissed and cried, and then she punched me for leaving," he said laughing.

Now, there is a lot of clean up while Stoddard waits to see if his boat is salvageable. He said he will be spending the winter down there. Stoddard is currently staying at his friend's house in Punta Gorda.

"Nothing I want to do ever again," he said.

After the rescue video went viral, he said he is so grateful for the Western New Yorkers supporting him during this difficult time.