Family reunion after Maria

‘I told you I wouldn’t forget you,’ Xiomara Carrasquillo cried tearfully, and emphasized the message with a long hug, as if to compensate for such a prolonged absence. The hug started with two people, who became three, and then four. At that moment, the Gallera sector from Barrio Barrancas had a new glimmer of hope.

This was the story of Carrasquillo, who was unable to visit her foster family in Barranquitas after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. In other words, 16 hours of sustained winds and rains from the category 5 cyclone–which caused landslides, floods, and collapses–separated a whole clan for more than 17 days.

‘As I drew closer, I started getting emotional. It’s tough to see your town, your people, and what they’re going through. Seeing them brought me immense joy. It brings tears to my eyes. It’s good to know they’re okay and that I was able to help them,’ said Carrasquillo, who works at a bank in the Metro area.

Getting to Barranquitas was as difficult as reaching other municipalities in the island, since there is no public road access. This is what delayed this family reunion.

During those days, when phone communications were also scarce, Carrasquillo saw a social media post about the municipality’s needs, and she was able to identify the houses she used to visit as a little girl in the shared pictures. She then contacted her biological family in Naranjito, and they told her that the road to Barranquitas was now clear.

Through her profile, Carrasquillo made a call for donations. She received cereals and food from the Health Department, while others donated crates of bottled water; NotiCel also joined to deliver milk, cookies, snacks, and personal hygiene supplies.

The homes of her relatives withstood the hurricane, albeit with difficulty. For example, her foster mother’s home lost the roof of her terrace, and part of the foundation was eroded. ‘The trees stood firm. Those roots held us in place. Had it not been for the trees, we would have gone down with the house,’ she assured. At a neighboring house, rain poured down through the electricity outlets.

This neighborhood is inhabited by nearly 50 people, almost all of which are either seniors or children, who associate hurricanes with reduced playtimes in their backyards or balconies.

There are situations similar to the one in the Gallera sector in Barranquitas all over Puerto Rico. Cases where families remain cut off, with significant damages in their homes, and a lack of food, water, or human contact.

‘This is extended family, but it doesn’t matter. The fact that they’re not immediate family does not mean we should forget them. I love them as if they were my parents and siblings,’ Carrasquillo exclaimed.