Leilani Perez, of Hyde Park, is stuck on vacation in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa pummels the country.
Locked down in a hotel
“I’m definitely not prepared for it. So it’s really just been an emotional rollercoaster. Thankfully, I’m with my mom,” she said. She, her aunt, and her mother are celebrating her mother’s birthday with a vacation in Ocean Coral Spring.
Perez showed a video of leaking ceilings and boarded-up rooms in the Ocean Eden Bay hotel, which is on lockdown until Hurricane Melissa passes.
“So, we’re not allowed to go outside because everything is boarded up from the inside out,” she said.. Her bed immediately is a pool lounge chair, as all the guests are gathered in a common area. “They had to turn off the AC, so it’s really, really hot. A lot of people are sweating. Kids are getting fussy. They did serve us breakfast this morning. The food has been great. Water, drinks, everything are good,” she said.
Checking on family in Jamaica
In Mattapan, Marcia Satchell runs Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant. Between cooking up her authentic Jamaican takeout dishes, she’s checking on relatives in Jamaica. Marcia is originally from Kingston.
“So, I think this could probably be one of the worst ones we’ve seen yet,” Satchell said. Her cousin, Annie, lives in Kingston and is hunkered down.
“It’s going to be really challenging for those people who farm – and livestock,” she said. “Jamaicans are go-getters. They are resilient. They will weather any storm.”
From Boston to Jamaica, everyone is hoping for the best.
“It’s just so nerve-wracking, not knowing what might happen to all of us,” Perez said.
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