Yolande Welch

Today we visited Yolande Welch in Fort Myers. She used to live on Sanibel Island, and I’ve known her for many years. At 98, she is still active, remarkably sharp, and wonderfully witty.

We took her out to lunch and afterward spent some time chatting in her new apartment at the assisted living facility. She lives there alone with her adorable cat, Abby, which she was fortunate to save when she had to evacuate after Hurricane Ian. In her own words: “The only things I managed to save besides my cat were the clothes I had on—bra, underwear, shorts, blouse, flip-flops—and my handbag.” Absolutely hilarious!

Yolande had to endure quite a bit from the chaos of Hurricane Ian and its aftermath, including a serious leg injury. Thank God she had good support from her family, and things have finally settled for her. We were delighted to see her thriving in this lovely new situation.

She is a tough and determined lady. When I asked her why she stayed on the island during Hurricane Ian, she replied, “I figured I could manage. I’ve slept with a gun under my pillow in Brazil … What’s a little wind?”

We so enjoyed our visit together and are already looking forward to seeing her again next year!Read more