E-bikers' videos of hurricane damage help snowbirds and others in Indian Rocks Beach

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH – Before Hurricane Helene hit Florida's Gulf Coast on Sept. 26, Seminole native Tanner Rice was just an Indian Rocks Beach resident who loved the outdoors and used his electric bike to explore the small island.

But after the devastating storm's 300- to 500-foot surge swept across Gulf Boulevard, dragging tons of sand and tossing everything from boats to docks to entire buildings, Rice transformed himself into a local folk hero.

First, he took a kayak from the mainland and inspected his own home, where he said he found little damage compared to others. Rice then set off on his e-bike on a multi-day tour of the storm-ravaged community, communicating with snowbirds and residents who were following mandatory evacuation orders.

He stopped at many flooded buildings to turn off power and also provided a continuous live stream of the damage.

“I didn’t know the live videos would help so many,” he said. “Many people from other states couldn't understand the severity of the storm, and sometimes the pictures don't do it justice. “It's pretty brutal,” Rice said Sept. 28 during a break to charge his phone and bike, well into the second day of searching the entire island for damage to individual properties.

“Each home will be flooded 2 to 5 feet,” he said. “I checked almost 60 houses, sent pictures and videos to the owners and FaceTimed everyone.”

As he traveled more than 80 miles on his bike, crossing from one end of the 2-mile-long island to the other, the selfless heroics of Rice and Cecily “CC” Pond, his pedaling partner, gained increasing recognition online.

“Tanner Rice, drop your Cash App, Venmo or PayPal,” Dan Holden wrote on the Indian Rocks Beach Life community Facebook page, apparently referring to people who send payments to support Rice’s rides.

“You are a great person,” Terri Dobbins Gozdan wrote after Pond, who wears many hats in the community, helped deliver golden retriever puppies after the hurricane. “I don’t even know you, but you have a good heart.”

Many said Rice's posts gave them peace of mind during a difficult time, and one suggested he should run for mayor.

“You are a blessing to all of us!! And an example of what this world needs more of,” Dana Guerra-Gonzalez commented on a Sept. 28 Facebook post from Rice. “Thank you for your selfless kindness.”

On the community page, someone suggested nominating local heroes who stepped up during the crisis, and many chose Rice and Pond as the best people giving back to the community.

“Tanner Rice and CC Pond!” Carrie Anne Colby wrote.

“Tanner Rice without a doubt!” another added. “It’s really indescribable what he and his people have achieved in the last few days!!”

Another commenter said: “My faith in humanity is incredibly restored! God bless you all!”

Rice, for his part, shrugged off his newfound fame and said he plans to continue being a typical member of the Indian Rocks Beach community who would do anything to help his fellow barrier island residents in a crisis.

When the bridges opened to residents on Sept. 28, Rice focused on staffing donation drop-off stations while conducting health checks and other favors for those who leave him a message.

“I did a wellness check on an 80-year-old man who was renovating his house and it was completely flooded,” he said. “When I left, the neighbors helped me, and that's why I moved to IRB. I love this area.”

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