'He wanted to die with his family'

blocks at his house. His right left was broken in two places. He left leg was smashed below the knee. It was cold and turning black. His father walked into the yard and just fell apart. He lost his wife and four other children.
He was so thankful that he was able to pull out the son above. He just wanted to go someplace other that back to Port-au-Prince.
Then we had to tell him he had to return to the hell he had just left. He son¹s leg needs to be amputated for him to survive.

These sad stories just continue to pile up by the thousands. This is one of the worst natural disasters ever recorded. I cant help but feel so sad for all these people who are unable to get help and needed supplies.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Haitians dig themselves out as quake damage slows outside aid

Haitians took recovery efforts into their own hands Thursday as aid workers trickled into the quake-battered capital where impassable roads, damaged docks and clogged airstrips slowed the arrival of critically needed assistance.
Using chisels, blowtorches and bare hands, one group of Haitians worked for 24 hours to free a man pinned under a collapsed school; still others -- possibly including students -- were trapped inside.
Across town, an 11-year-old girl pleaded for water and screamed in pain as a group of people painstakingly tried to lift a piece of metal off her right leg. After sunset, they managed to set her free.

It is just sickening to me that there are still people trapped under buildings and wreckage that are unable to be rescued. That just breaks my heart. I hope that everyone can get the appropriate help they need and fast.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Trying to prevent 'absolutely catastrophic' situation in Haiti

International aid groups were feverishly trying to get supplies into quake-ravaged Haiti on Thursday to prevent the situation from going from "dire to absolutely catastrophic."
The search-and-rescue efforts are the top priority.
"The ability to get people out of that rubble is paramount," said Jonathan Aiken, a spokesman for the American Red Cross. "You have a very limited time to accomplish that before people die and before you start to get into issues of diseases."
Behind the scenes, a massive coordination effort involving dozens of aid groups, the Haitian government, the United Nations and the U.S. military was under way to get food, water, tents and other supplies to survivors of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake.
Ian Rodgers, a senior emergency adviser for Save the Children, said aid efforts were at a "tipping point."

When I see such chaos happening I really feel spoiled when there is nothing threatening my life at all. I hope that all people can find help and water and food. The supplies needs to get there faster.

Haiti Earthquake Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

Chaos at Haiti airport calmed by Air Force

Haiti's Port-au-Prince airport, now critical for the quick delivery of supplies and aid, was an uncontrolled "mess" when the Air Force arrived Wednesday night to rehabilitate the facility, according to the commander of one of the Air Force's elite special operations units send to Haiti.
One of the biggest problems early on was that for more than a day after the earthquake, the airport was in disarray, Lt. Col. Brett Nelson said. Planes landed and parked just about anywhere.
"When we initially established airfield control last night, that followed 24 hours of uncontrolled activity," Nelson said.

When an earthquake or a natural disaster takes place it really scrambles everyone. So it is so important for everyone to work together especially when everyone needs help with little things or bigthings like an airport.

Haiti Airport Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-au-Prince_airport

Honore: U.S. military should have reached Haiti sooner

The retired general who took charge of relief efforts in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina said Thursday that the U.S. military should have arrived in earthquake-devastated Haiti 24 hours earlier.
"The good Samaritans who moved early on the first day are to be applauded. They made a difference," said Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, a CNN contributor.
"What we've got to do now is get the heavy equipment in. I thought the U.S. military could have been there a day earlier. They're on the ground now, and they have a brigade en route, and that's going to make a big difference," he said.

When chaos is prominent and everyone is disorganized, I believe it would be easy to start pointing fingers and to blame others. I dont think it took too long for the military to get there, everyone just needs to work together to get through this tough time.

Russel L. Honoré Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russel_Honore

Aid workers heading to Haiti fear for their safety

International aid workers scrambling to get into Haiti face a series of obstacles, from an airport that is already overwhelmed to blocked roads and a lack of communication, electricity, food and water.
And, as if that weren't enough, they will encounter a serious crime problem, a veteran disaster relief specialist told CNN.
"Security now in this particular crisis has already been raised as a major, major issue," said Paul Sherlock, a senior humanitarian representative for Oxfam.
"If you'd been in Haiti 25 years ago, even in Papa Doc's time, it was a pretty nasty dictatorship, and lots of people were killed. But infrastructure and services worked better then than they do now," he said.

To be in a place where everything is falling apart and they are in turmoilwould bethe worst. I am such an organized, analperson and if something isnot in my controli have a hard time. So tobe in a relief force where it is not being succesful i would falter.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

Where her son made music, anguished mother listens for life

Jean Baptiste Vanise suffers the anguish no mother should have to bear.
She received a text message from her 12-year-old son Tuesday afternoon asking, "Where are you?"
Since then, nothing.
Her only child, Marc Valends Louis Charles, played the violin at Holy Trinity School and Craft Center in Haiti. That's where she believes he was when Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake flattened large parts of Port-au-Prince and turned this mother's life upside down.
She returned to the school Thursday, just as she did Wednesday and Tuesday.
A sign at the gate says "Visitors Welcome."
The music classroom where she believes her son remains entombed sits in a corner of the teal building with its open courtyard.She has heard from someone at the school that Marc Valends was not there when the tremor hit; that he was with another child or that one of the teachers dropped him off somewhere.
As much as she might want to, she does not believe that's the case. So she returns to the school.

If I wear to lose someone in an accident like that i would never stop looking. I would keep hope alive until i found them. It would be hard for me to accept the truth.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

'Heroes' actor contacts parents in Haiti

On Thursday, Jimmy Jean-Louis finally received the phone call he had longed for: He spoke with his mother in Haiti.
"I got a phone call from my sister who said she was able to reach home," the Haitian native and "Heroes" cast member said. " So I picked up the phone and my mom answered. The first reaction from both of us was simply to cry."
The actor had been searching for his elderly parents in Haiti after a powerful earthquake struck his homeland. Adding to his desperation to find them was the knowledge that the house he had grown up in had collapsed during the disaster, killing several of his relatives.

After Hearing about the tragic incident that took place in Haiti, I just hoped that everyone was ok. I hoped that everyon would be able to find their family memebers and friends. So when i hear about happy news it always make me happy.

Haiti Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiti

Social Networks Fundraise?

A day-old fundraising campaign done solely through text messages and made viral on networking sites like Twitter and Facebook has raised more than $5 million for the Red Cross's relief work in Haiti.
"It's shattered any record that we've seen with mobile giving before," said Wendy Harman, social media manager for the Red Cross.
The campaign leads a spate of online efforts that have allowed people to help victims of the earthquake that has devastated the island nation.

I think it is so great that these social networks can be used to fundraise for the people who are really in need and who need help with money. It is just great to see how much they can help because they cover so many people in this world.

Social Network Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_networks