KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — In early July, Hurricane Beryl roared by Jamaica. It brought fierce winds and heavy rain, after killing at least seven people and damaging many parts of the southeast Caribbean, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press said the hurricane destroyed more than $6.4 million in food crops and infrastructure in Jamaica, while livestock and fishing sectors were also impacted by the storm. After hearing about the storm while in East Tennessee, Major Harris said he had to help.
He said he jumped on a plane to the island and spent around 10 days working in its rural areas, trying to help people recover.
"The people came together unbelievably," he said. "It showed that it was headed straight for the village and I know the kind of economy that they have couldn't handle that kind of devastation."
Harris said he had been to Jamaica in the past on similar humanitarian trips. He said he rebuilt houses and provided food for people there. He also said he worked with a group of locals on the island to establish a foundation designed to provide relief in the long term.
"A lot of people don't have shelter, a lot of people that don't know how they're gonna meet their basic needs," he said.
UNICEF, an agency of the United Nations, said two people died in Jamaica from the hurricane. It also said around 37,000 children and 160,000 people in total need humanitarian assistance from the storm.
Harris also wasn't the only East Tennessean helping people on the island. Joe Hurston, from Air Mobile Ministries, traveled there to deliver water purifiers and help make sure communities could access fresh water regardless of any infrastructure challenges.
"Almost 100% of every building was knocked down, but it's indicative of what's going on all over Jamaica," Hurston said. "The organization that we're working with has been bringing in a lot of tin roofing because they capture rainwater. All the houses lost their roofs, so they have lost their ability to get good rainwater."
Hurston said Air Mobile Ministries brought two water purifiers to Jamaica and was training people on how to use them.
"This is the first of what is going to be a number of additional water purifiers in Jamaica," he said.
Anyone who wants to help the organization can donate through Air Mobile Ministries' website. To help the Roaring River Family Foundation started by Harris and others in the island you can donate through their GoFundMe. You can also donate to UNICEF to help that organization's efforts in Jamaica.