Hurricane Dorian Disaster Relief for The Russells

This week has been one of the hardest I have been through. Hurricane Dorian passed almost directly over Treasure Cay, Abaco, taking with it my town and my childhood home. I waited for 3 days without any communication, frantically trying to find out if my parents and 8 year old nephew that lives with them were alive. My parents, Bonnie and Steve Russell, rode out the hurricane with another family sheltered in their laundry room with a mattress over them. After hours of wondering if they would survive, they emerged to find their house destroyed, their cars on their sides and most of their possessions water logged from the roof collapsing. Everything my dad had worked for his whole life was in ruins, but they were alive. In the coming days, I worked with a close family friend to get them and some other families off the island by boat, as there was no power, running water or safe shelter. They are having to start over on another island with the 5 garbage bags of belongings they were able to salvage. 

This is truly humbling and I never thought I would have to ask this for my family, but if you are willing to help, whatever the amount, my family would be truly grateful. They are good people, willing to help others in need whenever they could. They both grew up on Abaco and this is the only life they have ever known. They raised 3 children in that home, and were now raising my nephew as well. I would never post anything like this lightly and the humility it must have taken my dad to ask for help breaks my heart. Any money donated would go directly to them to replace personal belongings lost in the hurricane, as well as begin the process of building another home. Thank you so much for reading this and for caring. 

Grateful,

Chelsea Russell