The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

I am a Bahamian – hailing from the island of Grand Bahama – retired and now living with my wife in Florida. My wife is an American, from the state of Ohio, who lived with me in The Bahamas for over 40 years, which shows, I believe, our contentment with living in The Bahamas. However, after my uncle passed away, I inherited his estate and with our two adult sons, already residing in the US, hence our move to Florida.

The profound devastation of The Bahamas by hurricane Dorian is a disaster that will long be remembered worldwide for many years to come. And like the survivors of that horrific ordeal my heart bleeds with the stories, and unbelievable videos that came out of that, but also emerging from all this, is the many, many adrenalised heroes, charging the elements on jet skies rescuing people from house roofs, windows, and trees – in 120 mph wind!! I cannot begin to comprehend what fortitude it would take for such bravery. On one video, the rescuer commented that there were no Red Cross, or Salvation Army out there trying to rescue the stranded.

Truly these acts of heroism show just what is at the nuclei of the Bahamian heart = LOVE - whether this is acknowledged, or not –- the jet ski rescuers through caution to the wind, and against all odds, thumb their noses at hurricane Dorian and brought the stranded into safety, this speaks volumes of the courage, determination, and resilience that is wrapped up in the heart of The Bahamian Nation – resilience – that we will still be standing when the water subsides – or in the case of the dog “Miracle” will still be breathing after the debris is removed from over us. Now here is a hero to be heralded! As the story goes, he was discovered in Abaco by an American rescue team, from “Big Dog Ranch Rescue” using a drone, with high-resolution, heat-seeking camera. They appropriately named him “Miracle”. Miracle is the very epitome of resilience of the Bahamian “will”, that after three weeks – or more – this dog was still alive.

My only complaint — if the original owners could not be located, Miracle should have been adopted by the Bahamian government, to be the mascot, the symbol, and hope of the Bahamian people – -to be presented in every public event, to visit hospital beds, inspire school children, to spread the spirit of hope, and the determination to rebound against all odds. What a great testimony he could have been to, and for the Bahamian people.

JOACUM (JOEY) HOLLINGSWORTH

Lake Park, Fl

October 22, 2019.