ORLANDO, Fla. — People gathered in Orlando to remember the lives lost in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island September 20, 2017.
- Organizers hold vigil for victims of Hurricane Maria
- Thousands died from the storm, months that followed
- More Hurricane Maria coverage
- RELATED STORIES:
Thousands died in the storm and in the months that followed.
“People weren’t able to get insulin, they weren’t able to get dialysis… thousands upon thousands of people died, and it’s just a tragedy. But two years later, there is nothing to prevent it from happening again,” said Alex Barrio.
As Political Director for Alianza for Progress, Barrio helped organize the vigil at Lake Eola Friday night.
The damage was devastating to Puerto Rico and is still apparent now.
“There are still hospitals that haven’t fully reopened, and so the struggle continues,” Barrio said.
At the event, Nancy Batista with Poder Latinx explained, “I was just in Puerto Rico a few months ago, and you can still see that there are blue tarps still covering the houses, and that's unacceptable."
Speakers and Maria survivors shared their stories at Lake Eola Friday. While the crowd honored the lives lost, they also vowed to help rebuild the island and encourage change.
“We need to make sure that we actually do something about it, and the way to act and do something about it is voting,” Batista said.
“Don't forget the island still needs to be rebuilt. Remember next year you have an election. Vote for candidates that care about Puerto Rico,” Barrio said.