ORLANDO, Fla. – Although a Central Florida woman is back home after being in Jamaica when Hurricane Melissa hit, she says her heart remains with the island and those still rebuilding after the devastating storm.
Elyse Lugo and her partner had traveled to Jamaica for what was meant to be a romantic getaway. Despite knowing it was hurricane season, Lugo said she wasn’t overly concerned.
“Being from Florida, you hear ‘a hurricane is coming, a hurricane is coming,’ and then last minute, it turns,” Lugo said.
But this time, it didn’t turn. Hurricane Melissa intensified into a powerful Category 5 storm before slamming into Jamaica, leaving widespread destruction in its path.
“For the first two hours of the storm, I thought I was going to die,” Lugo recalled. “The sounds were so intense — the winds were so loud, it sounded like thunder.”
A week later, cleanup efforts are still underway across the island. Lugo described the heartbreaking reality for the people she met on the island who live there.
“It’s a shame that they are working, showing up to the resort, entertaining and feeding us, and having to go home to nothing,” she said.
In response, Lugo and her partner decided to give back in any way they could before returning home.
“We gave them the rest of the cash. We gave them the clothes from our suitcases because we didn’t need them coming back,” Lugo said.
Now safely back in Orlando, Lugo is using her experience to raise awareness about Jamaica’s ongoing recovery. She says she was deeply moved by the resilience and unity of the people she met.
She says she saw people in Jamaica come together and help one another through this difficult time.
As relief efforts continue, Lugo hopes her story will help keep attention on the island’s long road to recovery and inspire others to lend a hand.