Puerto Rico has gone through a lot in the past couple of weeks. The tiny Caribbean island was buffeted by both Hurricane Irma and Maria, leading to widespread damage and pushing the island's 3.4 million residents to the brink. The island's infrastructure is massively damaged, and 97 percent of residents remain without electricity.
Not everyone is ignoring Puerto Rico's plight. An unexpected hero has emerged to help the island's most vulnerable citizens.
It all started with Hurricane Irma.
On Thursday September 7, Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic hurricane in recorded history, swept past Puerto Rico, knocking out power for more than one million of the island's residents. In the prior day, it had carved a swathe through the rest of the Caribbean, killing 12 people and rendering the tiny island of Barbuda uninhabitable.Puerto Rico thought it survived the worst.
Granted, nine people were dead, and nearly 50,000 were without potable water, but generators were still working and more than 40 of the island's hospitals were still operating. "Puerto Rico escaped. It could have been far worse, they really escaped the brunt," President Trump remarked later that day.Then Hurricane Maria came.
Less than two weeks later, another hurricane was headed Puerto Rico's way, and this time, it was a direct hit. On Wednesday September 20, Hurricane Maria made landfall, dumping more than two feet of rain on Puerto Rico.The storm leveled the island.
Electricity was wiped out. So were communications. The island was without potable water, which meant people didn't have water to drink, wash, or flush toilets. Buildings were leveled. All the island's stray dogs were swept away. The airports were out of commission. So were the ports. Vox put it best: "Hurricane Maria was like a 50-mile-wide tornado that made a direct hit on the island."U.S. response was problematic.
10k+ federal staff are on the ground in PR/USVI assisting with search & rescue, restoring power, & moving commoditi… https://t.co/rzf19N7HrU— FEMA (@FEMA)1506353790.0
It was time for Mr. Worldwide himself to step in.
Rapper Pitbull, born Armando Christian Pérez, is not from Puerto Rico. But when disaster struck, he acted quickly, sending his private jet to rescue cancer patients from Puerto Rican hospitals. DALE.In case you don't know who Pitbull is, remember this banger?
I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) was a monster hit in 2009, peaking at no. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. If you don't remember it, try Culo or On The Floor. Since 2004, Mr. 305 aka Mr. Worldwide aka Pitbull has dominated the charts with his Latin-influenced Miami flavor and frequently collaborates with Jennifer Lopez.We might have never learned of Pitbull's good deed if Puerto Rican congresswoman Jenniffer González had not tweeted about it.
Gracias al cantante @pitbull x prestar avión privado para trasladar pacientes de cáncer de PR a USA para q puedan tomar quimio @DeptSaludPR— Jenniffer González (@Jenniffer González)1506454439.0
The situation in Puerto Rico is still dire.
95% in Puerto Rico w/o power. 65% w/o potable water. 30% of hospitals operating. 250k homes disappeared. Congress needs to act NOW to help.— Senator Jeff Merkley (@Senator Jeff Merkley)1506551011.0
But people are pitching in.
We're expanding our efforts to help Puerto Rico & the USVI, where our fellow Americans need us right now. Join us a… https://t.co/gkrp1RwXR4— Barack Obama (@Barack Obama)1506445435.0
There are still questions, however.
Maddening. 3,000 shipping containers packed with food water & medicene have been sitting at the port in Puerto Ric… https://t.co/53n3BAsLBz— David Begnaud (@David Begnaud)1506532255.0
The White House is restricting officials from visiting Puerto Rico.
Trump doesn't want Puerto Rico turn into his presidency's Hurricane Katrina... so he's stopping people from witness… https://t.co/krKRi42g8A— Caroline Orr Bueno (@Caroline Orr Bueno)1506547409.0