Almartino Stewart, who was born and raised in Jamaica, hasn’t been able to reach his family since the catastrophic storm hit early Tuesday afternoon.
SAN ANTONIO — Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction across parts of the Caribbean, devastating Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti as one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record.
Officials in Jamaica describe the damage as “beyond catastrophic.” The Category 5 hurricane slammed into the island Tuesday with winds reaching up to 185 mph, knocking out power and cutting off communication for much of the country.
For one San Antonio man, the silence has been really hard.
Almartino Stewart, who was born and raised in Jamaica, hasn’t been able to reach his family since the storm hit.
“Right now, I am worried because I am not sure who is safe, and who is not safe,” Almartino said. “It has really worried me right now.”
Stewart and his wife, Yolanda, own Little Jamaica To Go, a local restaurant serving authentic Jamaican cuisine. The couple is preparing to open a new location, this weekend, off North New Braunfels Avenue, near Fort Sam Houston.
“It is really sad,” he said. “Me trying to focus on opening, it’s just really hard for us right now. We are going through a lot.”
“We are kind of heartbroken,” Yolanda added. “We have not spoken to family or friends yet.”
Almartino said he knows exactly what his loved ones are enduring. While living in Jamaica, he survived two hurricanes himself.
“I’ve been through a couple of these hurricanes, and it’s nothing pretty,” he said. “There’s no water, you can’t charge your cell phone, no lights, it’s just rough.”
Despite the uncertainty, the couple is leaning on the resilience that defines Jamaica.
“Jamaican strong, you will survive,” they said together. “We will be strong. Let’s go to the top. Jamaica, don’t give up.”
As they open their new restaurant Saturday, the Stewart’s plan to turn their celebration into a fundraiser. A dollar from every jerk chicken sale will go toward relief and rebuilding efforts in Jamaica.
The new location of Little Jamaica To Go is located at 1917 North New Braunfels.