HARDEE COUNTY, Fla — Friend. Son. Life of the party.
That's how many knew 35-year-old Craig Markgraff.
"He was definitely someone that you were kind of drawn to," said his sister April Rudolph.
But for Rudolph, he was the big brother that always showed up.
"When I was in high school, I came out into the parking lot and my car had been broken into. And it was a shock to me. So I called my dad and my brother was at the house. I didn't even know. He overheard the conversation and not even two seconds of hearing something happened, he's flying down the street to get to my school," Rudolph said.
Rudolph tells ABC Action News that she last got a dose of that fierce love on September 28 when Markgraff—who lived in Zolfo Springs—called his family in Michigan to tell them he was nervous about Hurricane Ian.
"His house, he lives on a creek and it already had some flooding just before the storm even came. And he didn't know what was going to happen. It was kind of on the brink of too late to leave," Rudolph said.
According to the Hardee County Sheriff's Office, Markgraff was last seen that night by his father as he was rescued from floodwaters by a friend. The report said Markgraff was clinging to a tree.
Markgraff's brother Brett, who stayed behind with him, reported him missing the next evening after the two got separated in that rising water.
After a week of agony, Rudolph said on Wednesday, her family was told that her brother had drowned.
"I found out first, and I did not want to tell my mom at all," Rudolph said.
Rudolph tells ABC Action News the family is still processing the loss, but even in the midst of this, they're giving thanks to the first responders that found Markgraff and offering words of support to the many other families who are getting similar calls in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
"You know it's going to be a really difficult thing to deal with, but you know you're supported and loved by so many people. Strangers you probably don't even know are there for you, rooting for you and they want everybody and everything to be okay," Rudolph said.
If you are still looking for a loved one following Hurricane Ian, the Florida Division of Emergency Management has a missing person form that you can fill out to get that information to rescue teams.