Grand Bahama: before and after Hurricane Dorian
Satellite imagery collected before and after Hurricane Dorian show the extent of flooding on Grand Bahama Island. The island’s transportation and infrastructure have been seriously damaged by high speed winds, storm surges and flooding.
Satellite imagery collected before and after Hurricane Dorian show the extent of flooding on Grand Bahama Island. The island’s transportation and infrastructure have been seriously damaged by high speed winds, storm surges and flooding.
A Jacksonville farmer wanted to help the Bahamas so much, he bought 100 generators at Costco.
Besides the generators, which cost $450 a piece, he also bought food and other supplies.
His total: nearly $50,000.
A Jacksonville farmer wanted to help the Bahamas, which are recovering from Hurricane Dorian, so he bought 100 generators at Costco Wednesday. Each generator was about $450. In total, he spent almost $50,000.
Courtesy of Alec Sprague
The man, who wanted to remain anonymous, told news outlets he would prefer people focus on those in the Bahamas who need help.
But, his good deed quickly went viral once shopper Alec Sprague found out.
“I felt the need to thank him and shake his hand for what he was doing!” Sprague said. “They are in desperate need and wish there was more [people] doing things like this.”
He snapped a quick photo of the good Samaritan from behind, and posted it on Facebook Wednesday. A day later, it had 34,000 shares.
A Jacksonville farmer, who wants to stay anonymous, bought 100 generators at Costco Wednesday. He plans to donate them to the people in the Bahamas who are in need following Hurricane Dorian’s destruction.
Courtesy of Alec Sprague
The farmer told CNN he was storing the supplies in a Stuart facility and Errol Thurston, his friend, was using his network of friends and boaters to deliver the supplies.
Thurston is a boat captain who lives in Marsh Harbour, a town in the Abaco Islands, according to his Facebook profile, and who owns a fishing guide service. He left the island to take a client’s boat to Florida days before Dorian struck the island chain as a Category 5 hurricane and is staying with his wife, Mercedes, who lives and works in Florida as a high school dean, CNN reports.
“Abaco is where my heart is and today my heart is completely broken,” Mercedes said in a Facebook video Tuesday. “My husband is beyond devastated but as usual he’s turning his despair into an opportunity to help others.”
Working with their friends and associates, the couples created multiple collection drives across the state, including in South Florida. They also made a GoFundMe page three days ago to help raise funds for supplies. So far, the page has raised $99,294, as of Thursday afternoon. Various videos indicate the group will attempt to deliver supplies by Friday.
Errol Thurston and his wife have created a a Go Fund Me page three days ago to help raise funds for their Bahamas Hurricane Dorian relief fund.. So far, the page has raised $93,384, as of Thursday morning.
Screenshot of GoFund Me page
The couple is just one of many groups organizing relief supplies for the devastated islands. In South Florida, individuals and charities launched collections of food, water and hygiene kits while others began to prepare for the long rebuilding effort ahead. Others are hosting search and rescue missions.
In Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., elected officials from both major parties have initiated calls for the Trump administration to loosen immigration requirements for Bahamians fleeing the devastation to enter the United States more easily.
“God is in control at this point. This is a giant lesson on humanity, ‘Help thy neighbor,’ ” Thurston’s wife said. “Every little bit helps, every prayer helps, every little thing. If you have one can of food to donate, that can make a world of difference to somebody.”
Real Time/Breaking News Reporter. There’s never a dull moment in Florida — and I cover it. Graduated with honors from Florida International University. Find me on Twitter @TweetMichelleM
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