鈥淥惫别谤飞丑别濒尘颈苍驳.鈥�

It鈥檚 the single word that is on Dexter Ferguson鈥檚 mind as he sits in a 琉璃神社 hotel room with his son Dexter Jr. and his wife, Bridgenna. He uses it to describe the immense amount of support he and his family have felt since arriving in 琉璃神社 on Monday night.

To get here, they travelled more than 4,500 km from the Bahamas 鈥� which was devastatingly struck by Hurricane Dorian just over one week ago.

As of Sept. 11, the Bahamas鈥� National Emergency Management Agency has listed over 2,500 people as missing and the official death toll is currently 50. Tens of thousands of people on both the Abacos and Grand Bahama islands remain in need of aid.

Soon after the disaster, Mike Carter, a 琉璃神社 chef who once worked with Ferguson in the Bahamas, began trying to contact anybody he could on the island.

鈥淒exter reached out and said he鈥檇 lost his house,鈥� said Carter. 鈥淗e asked if there was any way that I could try and get him to Canada and I said 鈥榮ure.鈥� I dropped everything that I was doing and spent the next five straight days working every hour trying to get him here.鈥�

Carter succeeded, thanks in part to a still-active .

But his work isn鈥檛 done yet.

鈥淒exter has a sister on the island with a two-month-old baby,鈥� he said. 鈥淗er house has been destroyed; she鈥檚 standing in water lines four-hours-long, in the heat.鈥�

鈥淭he situation is very bad,鈥� added Ferguson.

鈥淩ight now, the water table is poisoned. People can鈥檛 get clean water to take a shower or drink. Certain entities donated water but it鈥檚 still hard for everybody to get some.鈥�

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Carter said they鈥檙e trying to find a boat to get the two to Nassau, the capital city of the Bahamas. Carter said that from there, it will be easier to get Ferguson鈥檚 family to Canada.

But prices for the trip have inflated as more and more people try to leave the islands.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 the hardest thing right now,鈥� said Carter. 鈥淭he last quote that we just got for somebody for a boat to get them off was $11,000.鈥�

Carter estimates they will need another $25,000 for a boat, a flight and other transportation, to get the two out of the Bahamas, so they are again turning to the community for support.

鈥淭his process is very strenuous,鈥� said Ferguson. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to take a lot of money and support just to get it off the ground.鈥�

Carter said while cash donations are what is most needed right now, they are also accepting grocery store gift cards and are still seeking out shelter for Ferguson and his family.

鈥淲e鈥檙e still looking for accommodation that鈥檚 very reasonably priced or possibly could be donated,鈥� he said.

The Canadian Red Cross has offered $750 towards the Ferguson family鈥檚 first month of rent when they can find a more permanent place to stay.

琉璃神社 Transit also donated free bus passes and H2O Fitness and Adventure Centre for donated a family pass for the Fergusons to use.

Currently, the family is being put up at the Manteo Resort free of charge and clothing donations were being accepted at the Hotel Eldorado today.

Donations are coming in but the family is still in need of warm winter clothing. Sizes needed are men鈥檚 XL with 46-48 pants for Dexter, XL young boys 16-18 pants for Dexter Jr. and women鈥檚 small/medium with pants size 14-15 for Bridegenna.

鈥淢ike did a very good job getting us off the island. He really took care of everything,鈥� said Ferguson. 鈥淚鈥檓 just really appreciative of everything he鈥檚 doing.鈥�

michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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