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害羞草研究所檚, 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.

害羞草研究所淚 approached the rest of our strata council and said, 害羞草研究所楢re you guys all game, can we proceed?害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟 said Moxness. Soon after, , encouraging other Mara Landing property owners to lend a hand.

害羞草研究所淭hey presently have food and water, their home was not destroyed, but all their employment income has stopped, and their money is running low,害羞草研究所� states a letter to Mara Landing owners on the GoFundMe page. 害羞草研究所淧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!害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檛 currently accustomed to receiving from the U.S. 害羞草研究所� hope.

害羞草研究所淚n the midst of all that害羞草研究所檚 going on, particularly with the Puerto Rican people 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檝e always felt they害羞草研究所檙e second-class American citizens 害羞草研究所� and the non-response of mainland America has reflected that that害羞草研究所檚 the truth害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Reid. 害羞草研究所淢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害羞草研究所� somebody cares, that things could get better and that they害羞草研究所檙e going to be able to manage.害羞草研究所�

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害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檙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.

害羞草研究所淲hen you害羞草研究所檙e a student, especially in your fourth year, you害羞草研究所檙e in the end of it and those courses are only offered at certain times,害羞草研究所� said Reid. 害羞草研究所淔or them to try to move back to the mainland and try to re-establish is crazy.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淪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害羞草研究所檛 open in the next four weeks, then they have to seriously consider what their future will hold,害羞草研究所� said Reid.

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

害羞草研究所淥ne of the sad things about the island is 害羞草研究所� they害羞草研究所檙e American citizens. To go to the grocery store, there害羞草研究所檚 no milk, there害羞草研究所檚 no eggs, there害羞草研究所檚 no meat, there害羞草研究所檚 no fresh produce. Nothing. Because there害羞草研究所檚 not power to keep things cool害羞草研究所�,害羞草研究所� said Reid, who describes Puerto Ricans as people who don害羞草研究所檛 complain, work very hard and are resourceful with very little.

害羞草研究所淚 think if the American government decided to say, 害羞草研究所榃e害羞草研究所檙e out, you害羞草研究所檙e on your own,害羞草研究所� they would say, 害羞草研究所楪ood, sign the papers and leave.害羞草研究所� Because they害羞草研究所檙e so limited with what they can and can害羞草研究所檛 do relative to bringing products to the island. It害羞草研究所檚 hard to believe but minimum wage in Puerto Rico is $7.25 an hour,害羞草研究所� said Reid, adding 45 per cent of Puerto Ricans live below the poverty line. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙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 害羞草研究所� unique at best would be a polite way of putting it.害羞草研究所�

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
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