A month has passed since Hurricane Maria wreaked devastation on Puerto Rico, thrusting the U.S. territory into an ongoing state of emergency.

Since then, thousands have left the crippled U.S. island of roughly 3.4 million people for the mainland. Haniel and Maegan Santiago, however, are holding out, helping family members and hoping that things will improve.

Maegan is the daughter of Russ and Priscilla Reid of Sicamous. The two are caretakers for the Mara Landing condominium complex. Familiar with the Reid香蕉视频直播檚, their family in Puerto Rico and the troubles that have continued there since Maria, Mara Landing resident Peter Moxness decided to see about helping out.

香蕉视频直播淚 approached the rest of our strata council and said, 香蕉视频直播楢re you guys all game, can we proceed?香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� said Moxness. Soon after, , encouraging other Mara Landing property owners to lend a hand.

香蕉视频直播淭hey presently have food and water, their home was not destroyed, but all their employment income has stopped, and their money is running low,香蕉视频直播� states a letter to Mara Landing owners on the GoFundMe page. 香蕉视频直播淧ersonal safety, basic infrastructure, and delays in restoring both are the current issue. Because Russ and Priscilla are employed by us, perhaps there is something that we can do!香蕉视频直播�

As of Monday afternoon, 31 people had donated more than $3,000 to the Santiagos. Russ said this generosity has given Maegan and Haniel something Puerto Ricans aren香蕉视频直播檛 currently accustomed to receiving from the U.S. 香蕉视频直播� hope.

香蕉视频直播淚n the midst of all that香蕉视频直播檚 going on, particularly with the Puerto Rican people 香蕉视频直播� they香蕉视频直播檝e always felt they香蕉视频直播檙e second-class American citizens 香蕉视频直播� and the non-response of mainland America has reflected that that香蕉视频直播檚 the truth香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Reid. 香蕉视频直播淢y children, who are fluent in both Spanish and English that live in Puerto Rico, they feel like no one cares. So when someone does something like a gofundme account, what it does is it gives them hope香蕉视频直播� somebody cares, that things could get better and that they香蕉视频直播檙e going to be able to manage.香蕉视频直播�

Reid said Maegan, 30, moved to Puerto Rico six years ago. She and her husband, Haniel, 33, were both in the later stages of their post-secondary degrees when the island was impacted by back-to-back hurricanes. First there was Irma, which grazed the island but caused damage none the less. Then there was Maria, which resulted in 49 confirmed deaths, as well as mass devastation of homes and infrastructure, including the island香蕉视频直播檚 power grid which remains inoperable.

Reid said Maegan is in her final year of a civil engineering degree, while Haniel has a year-and-a-half to go for a degree in architecture. They香蕉视频直播檙e hoping the school they attend will be back in operation instead of facing the challenges of trying to continue their education on the mainland.

香蕉视频直播淲hen you香蕉视频直播檙e a student, especially in your fourth year, you香蕉视频直播檙e in the end of it and those courses are only offered at certain times,香蕉视频直播� said Reid. 香蕉视频直播淔or them to try to move back to the mainland and try to re-establish is crazy.香蕉视频直播�

Also, Reid said Maegan and Haniel are keeping busy helping other family members who live on the island whose lives were also turned upside down by the hurricanes.

香蕉视频直播淪o this go-fundme account is basically helping them try to stay on the island as long as they can and if the school doesn香蕉视频直播檛 open in the next four weeks, then they have to seriously consider what their future will hold,香蕉视频直播� said Reid.

Also grateful for the gofundme effort, Reid is dismayed by the U.S. response so far to provide aid to Puerto Rico.

香蕉视频直播淥ne of the sad things about the island is 香蕉视频直播� they香蕉视频直播檙e American citizens. To go to the grocery store, there香蕉视频直播檚 no milk, there香蕉视频直播檚 no eggs, there香蕉视频直播檚 no meat, there香蕉视频直播檚 no fresh produce. Nothing. Because there香蕉视频直播檚 not power to keep things cool香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said Reid, who describes Puerto Ricans as people who don香蕉视频直播檛 complain, work very hard and are resourceful with very little.

香蕉视频直播淚 think if the American government decided to say, 香蕉视频直播榃e香蕉视频直播檙e out, you香蕉视频直播檙e on your own,香蕉视频直播� they would say, 香蕉视频直播楪ood, sign the papers and leave.香蕉视频直播� Because they香蕉视频直播檙e so limited with what they can and can香蕉视频直播檛 do relative to bringing products to the island. It香蕉视频直播檚 hard to believe but minimum wage in Puerto Rico is $7.25 an hour,香蕉视频直播� said Reid, adding 45 per cent of Puerto Ricans live below the poverty line. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e acutely aware of the relationship Puerto Rico has had and continues to have with mainland America. So much of it depends on their president and this president (Donald Trump) is 香蕉视频直播� unique at best would be a polite way of putting it.香蕉视频直播�

The Mara Landing gofundme account is open to anyone, and Moxness and Reid welcome any help others might be willing and able to provide.

lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on