It was five years ago today that the Haitian earthquake changed many of ours lives forever. At the worst of times, people I now hold dear pitched in and lent what helping hands they could. Mia Hurley nursing me quickly back to health and helping jumpstart logistics at BSVAC, indispensable with my having just lost two teeth in a NYC fight and needing to quickly heal and go on deployment. Sarah Rountree Schlessinger, taking over with logistics at BSVAC and getting her first taste of the disaster bug, which would eventually lead to her going to Haiti with me a year later, a country she would soon call home. Carissa Reed, who came out and built all matter of things with me. Canine Cassius, R.I.P., the best K9 partner a guy could ever have. He was my soulmate, my best friend, my hero. Jen Markewych (Minx) and Francisco Bermudez (Flex), the best paramedic partners to be in the shit with anywhere in the world. Big Dave, R.I.P., and Black, R.I.P., all gave some but they both gave all. Bridget Anne Mulrooney, whos gone on to fighting the good fight against Ebola in Africa this year. Sam Bloch, of Grassroots United (now Haiti Communautaire), whos keeping it real in the Philippines as Tacloban recovers from the super typhoon. V Kay Astran for sticking in and getting our first Haitian EMTs graduated. My rockstar pharmacists and phlebotomists, including my Jew in arms David Schwartz . The guys at The Deck bar at the UN Logistics base for always giving us a place to unwind, trusting me with the keys to lock up after hours when I had my birthday in country, and always making our huge German Shepherd Dog feel as welcome as any human. The amazing folks I served alongside with from BSVAC, IMC, 82nd Airborne, Medishare, LAHAF, Grassroots United, Pompiers san Frontiers, UN OCHA, PIH, HUEH, J/P HRO, and NYC Medics. There is still much rebuilding, much healing, to be done in Haiti, but these legions of honorable people (and a few honorable dogs) rolled up their sleeves and left sweat and blood in Haiti doing their share. I, for one, am proud to have known them.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 01:47:57 +0000
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