The Storm Passed. Recovery Did Not.

One Year After Hurricane Melissa — Part 3 of 4 | Di Trimaicans Holistic Farm, Westmoreland, Jamaica

My husband remained in Jamaica until December 2025. He returned to the United States to spend Christmas with us, then went straight back to continue the work.

There was still no electricity. There was still no running water.

He was washing his clothes in the river.

Our community did not regain electricity until April 2026, approximately six months after Hurricane Melissa. Reliable internet service remained another challenge. We sent a Starlink system, but it did not work properly for some time, and we eventually had to replace it.

These are the realities of recovery that people don’t always see once the hurricane disappears from the international news.

What Happened to Our Farm

At Di Trimaicans Holistic Farm, we were fortunate.

My uncle and our neighbors helped save our animals. Compared with many surrounding farms, we did not suffer the same level of destruction.

But we still experienced structural damage and significant losses.

Our fruit trees, vegetable crops, and other plantings were affected. A year later, we have not been able to replant everything we lost.

There are no longer the fruits and vegetables in our yard that we once enjoyed.

It’s not because we don’t want to plant again. It’s because rebuilding requires decisions about what comes first.

When you’re restoring structures, dealing with disrupted utilities, caring for animals, and trying to keep a business operating, you have to prioritize.

Every decision involves time, money, and resources.

And sometimes, rebuilding means accepting that certain things will have to wait.

Our farm is still standing. Our family is safe. For that, we are deeply grateful.

But recovery is not complete.

The Impact Beyond Our Farm

Our experience is only one small part of what happened across Jamaica.

Farmers in our community lost so much. Families experienced devastating damage to their homes. Small business owners faced extraordinary challenges just trying to reopen and operate.

My cousin, whose business depends on electricity, had to travel with a generator every day just to keep his business running. He couldn’t safely leave the generator at the business because of concerns about theft.

Imagine the additional cost and effort of operating a small business that way, day after day.

And even now, nearly a year later, some families are still trying to restore their homes and create a sense of normalcy.

But the scale of rebuilding is enormous. For many families and small businesses, recovery is not something that can be completed in a few weeks or months.