Puerto Rican natives finally get in touch with loved ones after Maria

September 26, 2017 5:33 pm

By Alana Cerrone

acerrone@abc6.com

@Alana_Cerrone

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — “They didn’t expect it to be this bad,” said Vice President of the Puerto Rican Professional Association of Rhode Island, Belen Florez.

Belen Florez says her friends and family living in her native Puerto Rico are reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Maria 6 days after it made landfall.

“This one is the biggest one where it destroyed Puerto Rico,” said Florez.

Her biggest concern is getting in touch with family after almost the entire population was left in the dark.

“It was redial, redial, redial until I could get through to them,” said Florez.

Ivette Solivan, president of PRPARI, spoke with her daughter, grandchildren, and father in Puerto Rico last Tuesday night before the storm, and did not hear from them again until Monday.

“Yesterday morning — that was the happiest minute of my life, in years!,” said Solivan.

Florez and Solivan work for the Puerto Rican Professional Association of Rhode Island, which has raised money and collected donations for people on the island forced out of their flooded homes with no power, no food, and no water.

“Water. They need water. And we have plenty,” said Florez.

“We are looking for generators, flashlights, batteries, hygiene, and personal item,” said Solivan.

They are planning to visit Puerto Rico as soon as they can get a flight to help distribute the supplies they have collected to make sure they get where they need to go.

“Anytime anything happens to one of us or around the world, the first thing a Puerto Rican will say is, ‘what can we do to help?’,” said Solivan.

The PRPARI will be participating in a telethon at 1230 Elmwood Ave. in Providence this Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to continue to help raise money and collect donations for Puerto Rico.