SARASOTA, Fla. — Floodwaters took over city streets, creating what looked like flowing rivers as the rain from Hurricane Debby horizontally pelted Florida’s west coast. Standing in three feet of water, brothers Chad and Ricky Hollingsworth teamed up to restore power for their community as Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) employees. They’re part of a team of thousands who helped restore power to more than 250,000 customers in 34 counties.

This is not their first storm. Collectively, they’ve responded to numerous tropical storms and hurricanes since working for FPL.

“It can be a dangerous job,” Chad explained. “You need to be around people you trust, and there’s no one I trust more than my brother.”

For the past two decades, they’ve faced downed power lines, debris and flooding waters together to restore power for their Florida neighbors.

The latest storm, Debby, arrived in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 1 hurricane bringing significant flooding, strong winds and storm surge to southwest and north Florida.

Residents in Sarasota woke up to flooded streets Monday morning, and by late afternoon, many houses had several inches of water or more in their homes. Throughout the day and into the evening, flooding rose two-to-three feet or more in some streets.

As they worked through different parts of town, the water started receding, but Chad’s safety gear – a safety vest, hard hat and steel-toed boots – was soaked through.

They drove a bucket truck to reach another power pole and Chad watched as his brother, Ricky, who’s fifty feet in the air, is harnessed to a bucket truck and working on a power pole.

“When I look up at Ricky, I’m glad he followed in my footsteps and joined me,” Chad said.

Born and raised in Arcadia, Florida, the brothers’ journey began in their hometown at DeSoto High School. Upon graduation, Chad’s father geared him toward linework and in 2004, Chad donned his first hard hat and climbed his first power pole.

That hurricane season was relentless, with four major hurricanes impacting Florida in the span of seven weeks, throwing Chad into the deep end of power restoration. He faced the fierce winds and torrential rains of hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne, learning firsthand the grit required to be a lineworker.

Ricky, two years his junior, followed suit after being inspired by his brother’s accomplishments.

“Seeing Chad out there, making a difference, I knew I wanted to be part of it,” Ricky said. “It’s a true brotherhood.”

As Debby made its way to Florida, their experience was put to the ultimate test. Chad's role had evolved over the years; he’s now responsible for safety, ensuring that every member of their crew is protected as they work. Ricky, on the other hand, became a seasoned professional in the field.

During blue skies, Chad’s and Ricky’s careers have come full circle, from eager apprentices to now teaching the next generation of lineworkers how to light up their community. Ricky took over Chad’s job as an apprentice instructor in Sarasota and Chad now oversees apprentices across the entire state. He said he sees his younger brother in the people he trains, often recounting their early days and the lessons learned.

“When you’re out here, it’s not just about restoring power; it’s about restoring hope,” Chad said. “Every storm we face, we come out stronger, and every apprentice I train, I see the future of our community.”

As the sun set on another challenging day, the Hollingsworth brothers stood side by side, looking out at the city that has shaped their lives. They knew that while the storms would keep coming, so would they—ready to light the way for their neighbors.