Hurricane Melissa: Wisconsin family helps Jamaica, months of effort

MILWAUKEE - A Wisconsin family, with help from their community, spent months working to help the people of Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa devastated the island last year. 

From Jamaica…

The backstory:

Experts said the Category 5 storm was one of the strongest to ever hit the Caribbean. Saturday marked exactly four months since it made landfall in Jamaica. 

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

It had a devastating impact on the homes and livelihoods of more than 1.5 million Jamaicans and left dozens of people dead. In the aftermath and recovery, a Wisconsin family saw the devastation in person and worked to help.

…to Wisconsin

Local perspective:

Dwayne and Heather Malcolm live in Port Edwards, roughly 160 miles northwest of Milwaukee. They are often in Jamaica to visit Dwayne's side of the family. Weeks after Hurricane Melissa hit, they planned to go and help their family recover but soon realized they were called to more.

"I’ve never seen something like that. Never," said Dwayne. 

"It’s pretty scary to see the real effects of a hurricane. Roofs gone, buildings gone, people sleeping on what used to be their house," said Heather.

Community pitches in

What they're saying:

In the days and weeks after the hurricane, the Malcolm family went to work collecting food items and other vital items to send to Jamaica.

"As people heard about us leaving, my coworkers, the kids at the high school, they really wanted to help," said Heather.

Heather said a number of people purchased large blue barrels to fill with emergency goods. They were able to fill seven of them, each weighing nearly 300 pounds, with supplies. Just before Christmas, the family received a holiday surprise: a check for more than $12,000 from the Port Edwards School District.

"I never knew they were thinking about me in a way like this," Dwayne said.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

"I shared Heather’s story about the barrels, and people were reaching out to me saying, ‘How can we help, what can we do, what can we bring?’" said Justin Herman, Heather's brother.

Herman said donations for hurricane relief poured in at his business, Herman-Taylor Funeral Home.

"Them knowing that we were handling the donations, I think really helped rally and make a difference," he said.

Unexpected hurdle

Dig deeper:

In January, the Malcolm family touched down in Jamaica with plans to unload all seven barrels. But once they got to the island, the barrels were still on hold at the Jamaican port – and they found themselves without their biggest supply of support.

"When we figured out that it just wasn’t possible, we regrouped and made it happen anyways," said Heather.

Dwayne, Heather and the rest of the family gave what they could each day.

"Coming here and seeing it – it touches you, deeply," said Dwayne. "One pair of socks seemed like you were giving them $1 million."

"I’m 62 years old, it’s the worst hurricane I’ve seen in my life," said Levi, Dwayne's cousin, who lives in Jamaica and has been part of the effort to help his neighbors in need. "These people from Port Edwards is doing their very best for the Jamaican people."

It's Port Edwards, a Wisconsin village of fewer than 2,000 people, that Dwayne said helped make it all possible.

At this time, Heather and Dwayne said the barrels have finally been released and supplies are starting to be distributed. Their family is planning a trip back to Jamaica in April.

HurricanesNewsWisconsinHeartwarming News