After Hurricane Helene destroyed his home, Mike Damico faced setback after setback. He decided to channel his loss into purpose.<\/p>\n
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2014 It\u2019s been one year since back-to-back hurricanes tore through the Tampa Bay area, and while many people are still rebuilding, one local business owner is channeling loss into purpose.<\/p>\n
After Hurricane Helene destroyed his Treasure Island home, Mike Damico faced setback after setback. From insurance issues to stalled permits, his house is still left down to the studs.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything that I had worked for in my life was just gone overnight,\u201d Damico said.<\/p>\n
He was born and raised in Tampa and has weathered other storms but says he’d never seen something like Helene.<\/p>\n
Instead of waiting for things to get better, he decided to\u00a0build something new that’s not just for himself, but for others. That vision became Peach Pump, a women-only fitness studio in downtown St. Petersburg.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith all those complications and setbacks, I felt like something was calling me to build something bigger than myself,\u201d Damico says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the fitness studio, women move through a curated circuit, designed by instructors and focused on empowerment and community. For Damico, it\u2019s inspired by the strong women in his life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re probably wondering why women only? It\u2019s because I\u2019ve had several inspiring women in my life. My mom, especially. She\u2019s so generous and so selfless,\u201d he says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Symbolically, Damico held a soft opening for Peach Pump on the anniversary of Hurricane Helene, and the day his home was destroyed. It also happened to be the week of his mother’s birthday. He calls it a nod to resilience, strength and fresh starts.<\/p>\n
He says the studio\u2019s mission is simple: to pour back into the women who so often give everything to everyone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of women feel intimidated going to the gym. Here, they can take the guesswork out of it, we\u2019ll take care of you and help you reach your goals,\u201d Damico said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said the workouts aren\u2019t easy, but neither is rebuilding after a storm. And for Damico, that\u2019s exactly the point.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a big believer in doing hard things. On the other side of hard things is everything we want in life.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
He calls Peach Pump his comeback story and says through building it, he can provide the foundation for other people\u2019s comeback stories too.\u00a0<\/p>\n