Hurricane helpers

In the past three months, many people have been affected by natural disasters. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose, Katia, Maria, Nate, and Ophelia formed in the Atlantic. They caused damage in parts of North and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the British Isles. There were also earthquakes in central Mexico and wildfires in Northern California.

We invited you to send messages about the natural disasters, and we got an amazing response. We received more than 28,000 student messages! Some of you told us about your experiences. Others had kind words of encouragement. Some of these messages are posted here. We want to thank all of you for taking part in Hurricane Heroes. Your words have surely brought comfort to many.

November 21, 2017

We asked you to send messages about the natural disasters. We received thousands, in both English and Spanish. We have posted some of them below, in the languages in which you wrote them.

I hope you can recover and rebuild quickly. I live in Louisiana and have been through many major storms. Betsy, Camille, Andrew, and Katrina are just a few. There is no way to really prepare yourself for such a disaster. There is so much devastation, it is hard to comprehend or explain how hard it is. I wish there was no such thing as a hurricane and that you wouldn't have had to go through such a hard time. I hope your life returns to "normal" very soon.

I was not aly hurt because I want everybody to live a good life, and I hope all those people who went to go help people out there are okay.

D

Todos debemos donar algo, ya que toda la gente que sufrió por huracanes y terremotos necesita mucha ayuda pues no tienen mucha comida ni agua ni medicinas. Por favor, donen todos los víveres que puedan y todo lo que puedan para que se los envíen a la gente que sufrió y a los niños también.

Credit for photo and all related images: AP/Carlos Giusti

Actor and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (left) visited Puerto Rico in November to help bring food to hurricane victims. Miranda also helped raise money for the island.

November 14, 2017

We asked you to send messages about the natural disasters. We received thousands, in both English and Spanish. We have posted some of them below, in the languages in which you wrote them.

Ilive so far away, the whole state is trying to find ways to help. Our schooas. Y también lo siento porque mi familia vive en Puerto Rico una de las islas del caribe. Siento que hayan pasado por esa experiencia.

Yo creo que tienen que tener mucho cuidado y tener fe en que todo va a estar bien. No se alteren porque si se alteran puedes llegar a hacer todo mal. Tienes que guardar comida, agua o comida en lata para poder sobrevivir. Y si tienes que evacuar tu casa porque tu zona es muy peligrosa no dejes a tus macotas porque imagínate los animales son casi como personas y también sienten lo que va a pasar.

Credit for photo and all related images: Ramon Espinosa/AP

This home in Puerto Rico is one of many that was destroyed by Hurricane Maria.

October 24, 2017

On October 21, the five living former presidents appeared together at a concert in Texas to raise money for victims of the recent hurricanes. The concert was part of the presidents' "One America Appeal," which they launched in September for hurricane relief. The concert showcased musicians Lady Gaga, Lyle Lovett, and Alabama, as well as Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. All of the money from the concert ticket sales will be used to help hurricane victims. The One America Appeal also continues to collect donations on its website. As of October 20, it had raised more than $30 million.

Credit for photo and all related images: AP/L.M. Otero

Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama appeared at the One America Appeal Concert. The concert raised money for hurricane victims.

October 19, 2017

Firefighters are working hard to put out the wildfires that have been burning in California since October 8. Meanwhile, firefighters from another state—New Hampshire—stand ready to help. Officials in New Hampshire say that six firefighters and a truck will head to California if they are needed.

Many people have lost their homes in the fires. The Weaver family is among them—but the family also had a bit of good news. When Jack Weaver and his brother-in-law returned to their neighborhood to see what was left, the family dog, Izzy, suddenly ran up to them. The Weavers had to leave Izzy behind when they escaped the fire. They were not sure whether she survived. Now that Izzy is with Weavers again, she's doing what dogs do best: She's comforting them and even making them smile.

Credit for photo and all related images: AP/Jonathan Copper

Jack Weaver (left) and his brother-in-law, Patrick Widen, pose with Izzy the dog. The family had to leave Izzy behind when they escaped from a wildfire, but they found her again, and she's healthy and happy.

October 17, 2017

On October 16, what was left of Hurricane Ophelia struck Ireland. Ophelia had been downgraded to a "post-tropical cyclone," a type of storm that is not a hurricane but can still cause damage. It brought storm surges, heavy rain, and wind gusts of up to 109 miles per hour (175 kilometers per hour) and left many homes in Ireland without power. As of Monday afternoon, Ophelia was expected to move over Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and parts of England.

Credit for photo and all related images: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/AP

A satellite image shows Hurricane Ophelia as it was moving east, toward Ireland.

October 12, 2017

Beginning on October 8, several wildfires broke out in Northern California. The fires have destroyed more than 1,500 businesses and homes and have caused many injuries, mostly due to smoke inhalation. Firefighters are working to put out the fires. They are also sending rescuers to making sure that people who live in the path of the flames are safely out of their homes.

Credit for photo and all related images: AP/Dominic Foppoli

Fires have destroyed many homes and businesses in California.

October 10, 2017

On October 5, Tropical Storm Nate formed off the coast of Central America. The storm moved northward, bringing heavy rain and dangerous flooding to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Honduras. Thousands of people had to evacuate their homes. Moving over water, Nate strengthened into a hurricane and took aim at the U.S. Gulf Coast. It hit Louisiana on October 7 and came ashore a second time on October 8, this time in Mississippi. Nate caused some flooding, but officials reported that damage was fairly minor. This same area experienced major damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Now, the coast is better prepared for hurricanes. 

"If [Nate had] hit us 15 years ago, the damage would have been extensive and we would have had loss of life," said Lee Smithson, director of the emergency management agency in Mississippi. "But we have rebuilt the coast in the aftermath of Katrina higher and stronger."

Credit for photo and all related images: AP/Moises Castillo

People walk past a washed-out road in Costa Rica, one of the countries affected by Tropical Storm Nate.

October 5, 2017

We asked you to send messages about the hurricanes. We received thousands, in both English and Spanish. We have posted some of them below, in the languages in which you wrote them.

When I heard that Irma was headed to Florida, I got a bit scared 'cause the news reporters said that the hurricane was a Category 5, which is the highest a hurricane can go. Irma hit Florida. Our house was damaged a bit, and a tree branch could've broken my window, but the good thing is we put wood planks on every window to sponge the damage. The best thing is that my family was all fine. Many neighbors had more damaged homes, and me and my family would go help them. Well, wherever Irma hit too, I hope you guys are all fine and nothing happened to your family. And I hope you keep doing well.

What I did was after the hurricane, I helped 10 people with their yards because their back doors were blocking the back and broke a window, so we helped some people rebuild their homes and drove them to a school shelter.....

I was a victim of Hurricane Irma, and I want to tell my story. On the night that Irma hit Jacksonville, my family's power went out. We played board games, and did other stuff until it was time for bed. Me and my sister had slept through the worst of the storm, but it was still going when we woke up. I was extremely worried. Nothing like this had ever happened before (at least to me). I was worried about my house, my pets, my friends, and my family. We ended up evacuating to my grandma's house, which had a generator and was not affected by the storm at all. The next day, my parents went back to the house to see if it was okay. Despite the fact that I live two blocks from a river, our house didn't flood at all. And when they turned the breaker back on, the power was back! So in the end, it turned out all right. But my heart does go out to the people who weren't so lucky. Stay strong!

I live in Sarasota, Florida, and the moments leading up to Irma were awful. We were all so scared, and every day it seemed to get worse and worse for us, so we packed our bags, prepared for the worst, and moved to a shelter.