A Port Coquitlam family is breathing a sigh of relief after a 22-year-old medical student and her mom touched down in Chicago Monday after surviving Hurricane Irma.
Mariel Chan, who had planned to study medicine at the American University of the Caribbean and her mother Cecilia, a local accountant, are in the windy city awaiting information about what’s next for the medical program after the hurricane destroyed homes and infrastructure on St. Maarten.
“We are blessed,” said Alia, “they’re safe.”
The family raised the alarm about Canadians stranded in St. Maarten after they were denied a seat on a passenger plane. The university withstood the Category 5 hurricane and Mariel and Cecilia had been housed in the auditorium while they tried to get a flight out.
But much of the infrastructure has been destroyed and there were concerns about looting.
Eventually the Chans were airlifted out of St. Maarten by a plane chartered by the university.
Sister Alia, whose family started a petition to get the Canadian government to act, said the medical courses may continue in Chicago for now. “That’s what we hear.”
The federal government said the problem was hurricane damage at the airports.
