BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Several Western New Yorkers living in Puerto Rico are making ways to support recovery efforts for the island after Hurricane Fiona.
Chito Olivencia lives in Hormigueros, Puerto Rico, and survived the deadly Hurricane Fiona, which left millions without water, power, and homes.
He says he was safe in his two-story concrete home, but when Hurricane Fiona arrived, he didn’t think it would leave such a deadly impact on his beloved island.
“It started before the weekend and people were talking about it and I’m looking out the window and I go, it’s Saturday,” he says. “And then all of a sudden one o’clock the alarms come on and then three o’clock forget about it was rainy windy.”
Chito even had Senator Tim Kennedy view the devastation firsthand.
“It took down homes, bridges, took down roads caved in and home,” Olivencia says. “I happened to have Senator Kennedy with me and he helped out.”
Senator Kennedy tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person that seeing the aftermath of the Hurricane broke his heart, he’s glad to see the state of New York lending a helping hand by sending much-needed supplies to the island.
“In its wake the Hurricane left the devastation that I have never seen before roads and bridges washed away. Homes completely washed away,” Kennedy says.
The Senator also says the Hurricane is another wake-up call for the United States.
“We know that’s it’s only a matter of time another storm hits the island and we need to be ready,” he says. “So investing now and putting in an infrastructure that’s technologically advanced that’s robust and can withstand another storm.”
Wilmer Olivencia is the nephew of Chito.
He’s part of the Western New York Puerto Rico Relief Fund.
He says he and other Latino leaders are focusing on raising money as a best option to help his community.
“We want to help out the families that are in need and give them resources,” he says. “This is something way bigger than we can raise here in the city of buffalo and we need to work on the infrastructure.”
Click here to find out how you can donate to the Western New York Puerto Rico Relief Fund.
