Trying to get Word
Estefany De Jesús Besares, 25, and Alejandro Ramos, 22, and their four children came to Butler from Puerto Rico in August for their son's medical treatment. They had no idea that Hurricane Maria would arrive in Puerto Rico in September with disastrous results.
Understandably, they are worried about family members still living in Puerto Rico.
“The only thing that I heard from my family was a post on Facebook that my family is OK,” Ramos said. “I haven't talked to anyone yet.”
Humacao, on the eastern side of Puerto Rico, where his great-grandmother and mother-in-law live, was hard hit by the hurricane. Many of his great-grandmother's belongings were destroyed. She is staying now with a daughter in another town.
“It worries me. My great-grandmother has heart trouble,” Ramos said.
Her local hospital is running on a generator. Some hospitals in Puerto Rico are closed entirely.
Besares finally was able to get some news of her immediate family early this week when a member of her extended family managed to secure a telephone connection.
Besares learned that her mother's household and her pregnant sister's household are sharing food. They have just enough food for several more days.
During the past two weeks, the couple raised money so Besares could fly to Puerto Rico to help her family. Unfortunately, while raising the money for the flight, some people tried to take advantage of her situation.
The couple decided it may be better for Besares to stay here.
“She was trying to fly over there but she heard that people were not coming back. So, she wants to bring them over here,” Ramos said. “It's more important that I can see them eating and sleeping good.”
He and Besares follow news on Facebook but he said some information may not be true. Even with positive news that seems reliable, there are still unfortunate surprises.
Earlier this week Besares talked to a relative who said that a Walmart in Cauguas, about 25 minutes away from Humacao, was open and asked Besares to send money. Ramos sent the money through a Walmart to Walmart money transfer.
A cousin whose car survived the hurricane and had enough gasoline drove to pick up the money only to discover that the store was unable to open.
Wireless services are spotty. Ramos has heard that postal service may be available.
One of Ramos' friends is trying to send flashlights and batteries to his own family, “so they can survive.”“They are family members and we are not going to leave them in the street. We're going to help them out,” Ramos said.Other Puerto Ricans living in Butler also are having trouble communicating with their relatives and are trying to find ways to help them.Gheisha Cordero, 21, started training at the Butler Beauty Academy, 233 S. Main St., in September after moving to Butler from Camden, N.J., two years ago. Her mother and 12-year-old brother live here with her, but her mother's family lives in Moca, her hometown in the northwestern region of Puerto Rico.Cordero has not talked to her family in Puerto Rico, but she has seen photos of Moca. The photos show soldiers and trucks. She said some were delivering food, and there were many buildings flattened. Trees and electric lines were in the road.“I hope my family is safe and alive,” Cordero said.Ivan Cumba-Mendez, 23, has been in Butler for five months. He came here to stay with his father and to study. He enrolled at the Butler Beauty Academy in June. Using Facebook messenger, he was able to communicate with his relatives about two weeks ago and again last week.“It's very bad,” Cumba-Mendez said.His brother and his brother's father live in Aguada, a town in western Puerto Rico. Fortunately, they live in a concrete house that fared well despite the hurricane.Physically, they are fine but they don't have money or food.Cumba-Mendez said lines are long for gasoline and to withdraw cash from the banks. Without gasoline, trucks are not delivering food to neighborhoods.“I was able to talk with my brother but they are a little desperate because of the concern for food and gasoline,” Cumba-Mendez said.Students and staff at his school wanted to help those in need after Hurricane Maria.Butler Beauty Academy, as well as its affiliated schools in Kittanning and New Castle, will have a cut-a-thon from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 18.For a $10 donation, patrons can have a haircut and styling. There also will be a basket auction.The school will accept bottled water and canned goods that will be sent to Puerto Rico by a local agency. All proceeds from the cut-a-thon will benefit people in Puerto Rico.
