I did not think Hurricane Maria was going to be this bad. I did not think that her destruction would lead to absolute devastation.
We didn’t hear from my grandparents for a week: no calls, no texts, no news. My mom and I were always checking for updates through multiple news sources. We checked Facebook for pictures and videos to see if maybe one of them would appear in the background. We repeatedly called my grandmother’s phone, even though we knew that we couldn’t get to her voicemail. We were trying anything just to know what was going on. To make matters worse, the Guajataca River dam started to fail. My grandmother’s town was one of the two places that had to be evacuated. So to hear that news, it only made everything more agonizing. We didn’t know if they were okay. We didn’t know if they had to be evacuated. We didn’t know anything at all.
As each day passed by, my anxiety increased. With every new image and video of the aftermath that was posted online, my heart broke even more. There were entire roofs and walls blown off of houses and people walking through several feet of water. It was hard for me to see all the pain they were suffering. Not only did I not have news from my grandparents, but I also had to deal with the fact that my favorite place in the world was destroyed. Puerto Rico was such a beautiful place. Now it will never be the same.
It took some time, but mom finally received a call from my grandfather on September 26th. Since then, they have both been calling every day. I have had the chance to speak to both of my grandparents as well. I was able to tell them both how much I love and miss them.
I am extremely thankful that they are okay. But I am still worried.
My grandmother has diabetes and her blood sugar has been higher than normal these past few days so she had to go to the hospital. Because of the current conditions over there, they were unable to do much and sent her back home. She doesn’t have access to decent treatment. The closest hospitals to her have bad generators. It has gotten to the point where one hospital smells like death, and the other has no air conditioning and is filled with sick people. We are trying to fly her out as soon as possible, but the airport near her isn’t taking flights. And with a small amount of gas, it’s close to impossible to get to San Juan. Her choices are limited. She can’t do much about the situation.
I don’t know what feels worse: not knowing where my grandparents were or knowing that my grandmother’s health is slowly declining and there’s not much to do about it. There’s not much I can do about it.
During the day, because of school, I am extremely busy and don’t think about the situation as much. But when I’m home, it’s like the wave of my worries is continuously trying to drown me. It’s hard knowing that the situation is at a stand still. At this point in time, all I can is hope that the situation gets better.
Although this experience continues to take a toll on me, I am still extremely grateful. So many people want to help the people of Puerto Rico. I have seen videos of communities of people coming together to help make, deliver, or donate food items as well as clear roadways of fallen trees. Even here at Albertus, there are several fundraising projects being planned to help out. I have truly never seen so many people come together to make a difference. This is truly a heartwarming experience.
Alyssa Cruz, Class of 2019, is pursuing a Bachelor degree in Art with a concentration in Graphic Design.