BY YESENIA RIVERA
Lions’ Pride Staff Writer

Since the shocking 7.0 earthquake hit the country of Haiti, pictures of the aftermath try to describe to the world how this catastrophe has inflicted so much pain and hardship on the inhabitants of the small island. A metropolis that was once filled with towering buildings, hillside neighborhoods, and a vibrant city life now show the results of a very sad devastation. When news of the earthquake broke out across the United States, the reaction was not only one of surprise and shock, but an immediate call to help. While organizations and help aids were beginning to form for the island, Haitians across the US felt another urgency; to contact, find, and help the suffering family and friends that were directly affected by the disaster.

On the Saint Leo campus, Haitian students felt exactly the same. Fear and anxiety had increased for the first few hours, even days, after the quake. The lack of communication to and from Haiti proved to be the main catalyst for these worries and thankfully, these connections improved for the students. Esther,20, and Andree,19, Garnier were both relieved to hear that their mother, little brother, and cousins were alive. Even though they were not in Haiti when the earthquake occurred, the sisters felt the fear and emotion behind their mother‘s voice when she opened up to the girls about what happened.

“She spoke about how the house suddenly moved and cracks appeared on the walls. She took my little brother and ran outside,” Esther said.

Despite this, the house sustained no other damages but received tragic news as the day wore on. The family is grieving the loss of two great aunts that died when their house collapsed. Numerous friends from high school also did not survive; all between the ages of 20-22. The girls find hope in the arrival of their mother and little brother on Saturday morning to the United States.

Unlike the Garnier sisters, who had found out information about the earthquake relatively quickly, other Haitian students did not.
Everlie Vassor, 20, was in shock to receive a call from her boyfriend at midnight who told her what had happened. Everlie had been busy that whole day and was not accepting calls or answering back text messages, something she wishes that she had not done. “I regret not picking up, I truly do,” she said. “ I was in so much shock and I feel so guilty.”

At first, she did not hear from her father, stepmother, and stepbrother-who all live in Port-au-Prince-and she initially thought that her dad was dead. She received confirmation from her family there later on that everyone was fine and that no significant damage was done to their property. Now that Everlie knows that her family is safe, she is trying to help others out by finding out if theirs are. When her family tells her that someone that they are close to is missing, she immediately hits the web and calls anyone she can in Haiti.

“My family calls me a good luck charm because my phone is the only one that has been getting through to Haiti without any problems”, she said. “I honestly feel that it was not luck, but my faith in God that helped the most. I never realized how much faith I really have. I used the chapel 24/7. Prayer is the key.”

Ralph Alphonse, 19, also shared the same sentiments. He received word about his father‘s side of the family as soon as he contacted him, finding out that they were alright. Since that one time, they have not received any other form of communication but hopes are high. Ralph iterated over and over how he is quite worried about how his dad is doing towards the situation because all of his family is in Port-au-Prince. Mr. Jean Alphonse, Ralph‘s father, moved to Florida from Haiti in 1988 and since has kept close ties to his family, which the majority live in Port-au-Prince.

While others around campus were receiving and awaiting calls, Jean-David Lafortuna, 22, was in class when his friend texted him. He could not read it till after class but he remarked that a flurry of different emotions eclipsed one after the other as he read and re-read the message over and over. “I was surprised, upset, depressed, and confused all at the same time”, he remembers.

Apart from watching the news for the rest of the day for information, his family called and confirmed that no one was hurt, but many houses were damaged and even collapsed. Jean-David is a part of HEP (The Haitian Education Project) on campus and has been collecting funds for the relief effort to help. He recognizes the support from many students around campus as well as the abundant people worldwide.

“Haiti has not met a lot of success and progress in its history, and to see the United States and all other nations helping us out is a true blessing”, Jean-David said.

Saint Leo University has been working through University Ministry, HEP, and other on-campus relief efforts to do their part in assisting to this tragedy. Prayers and support go out across this campus to the Haitian and any other students that were affected by distressing event. This conglomeration of unity and support for Haiti is only just the beginning as the days unfold. However small or distraught, the backbone of Haiti are its strong-willed and determined people who all seem to share the same optimism that Haiti will do its best to survive through this.