ATLANTA — As Hurricane Fiona intensifies, over a million people are still without power and water in Puerto Rico.
Rosan Petrillo lives in Atlanta, but Puerto Rico was home for 25 years.
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Her mother and brother still live there and can only talk through an app right now. Her extended family lives in more rural areas in Puerto Rico and is still without power. She hasn’t been able to reach them.
“It almost feels like deja vu,” Petrillo said.
Petrillo lost her father Luis after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island five years ago. With no power or medical resources, she says he suffered.
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“By the time that he was able to get here to us here in Georgia, his health had deteriorated so much,” Petrillo said. “He was only with us for three days before he passed.”
It’s why chef Raul Thomas works so hard here in Atlanta to help.
After Hurricane Maria, he led a local effort that raised thousands of dollars and 4 million pounds of goods for Puerto Rico.
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He says he’ll be launching a big effort in the next few weeks to collect insulin and other necessary medical supplies.
“There are always people wanting to get it done now.... Obviously we’ve learned to have patience. That we don’t need to rush. But we need to act,” Thomas said. “From the ground up, they’ll tell us what they need versus us telling them what we have.”
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