TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – What started as a tropical birthday getaway quickly turned into a nightmare for a Tallahassee woman visiting her hometown of Montego Bay, Jamaica.<\/p>\n
Paulette McFarlane said she and her family were in Jamaica to celebrate her husband and son\u2019s birthdays when Hurricane Melissa began bearing down on the island.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were forewarned of Melissa. However, they didn\u2019t consider it that detrimental or disruptive to their birthday arrangements at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said they stocked up on supplies and felt ready to ride out the storm, but Melissa was stronger than they expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went out and got water, and we got additional household and food items. We do have a generator, and we said, \u2018Well, it will be fine,\u2019 McFarlane said. \u201dUpon the hurricane, we lost everything: power, water, and no Wi-Fi.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite their preparations, Melissa proved unstoppable. Every gust of wind and drop of rain pushed their home closer to disaster. <\/p>\n
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\u201cYou started hearing that whistling in the wind, and it becomes really scary,\u201d McFarlane said. \u201cI\u2019m glad that I didn\u2019t have any of the grandkids there and we were all adults, but water was coming through even though the windows were locked, water was coming through the windows and the doors.\u201d <\/p>\n
When the storm finally subsided, the damage was shocking. Homes were destroyed, streets flooded, and communities left in disarray. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was mind-boggling, we just couldn\u2019t even digest what we were seeing. The people on the island desperately need help. They need water, they need food, they need clothing, some people have lost their beds, they have nowhere to sleep.\u201d <\/p>\n
While their home was spared and sustained only minimal damage compared to those who lost everything, she decided to come forward and share her story to spotlight the current devastation in Jamaica. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a very vocal person, but when I see this, I have to advocate for those who need help. I have to be their voice because they aren\u2019t here, and I was able to get out,\u201d McFarlane said. <\/p>\n
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