Jesus Feliciano, his wife Tatiana and their three-year-old daughter Danika are trying to pick up where they left off. Originally from Puerto Rico, they don't know when they will return. Hurricane Maria has left the island in shambles.
"Before it happened I could not even sleep you know, thinking about parents, grandparents and thinking that I could have been there with my daughter by myself," said Jesus Feliciano.
Jesus is the former hitting coach for the Boise Hawks and now works with the Eugene Emeralds. When Maria struck He was doing some offseason coaching here in the Treasure Valley. Jesus says thankfully his wife and daughter were in Washington D.C. When the storm hit. They are now staying with Jesus's old host family in Eagle who says they're welcome to stay as long as they need.
"They're family, we will do anything that they need," explained Craig Hansen who letting Jesus and his Family say it his house. "They don't need to go back until they are ready to go back so in the meantime they are here with us."
"The truth is we don't know if can go home tomorrow or when," said Jesus's wife Tatiana Encarnación a professional Volleyball player." We couldn't be in a better place right now they treat us like family and we feel so grateful to them.
While Jesus and his wife say it's been hard to get a hold of their families still on the island, overall they say they are doing far better than others. Many people on the island have trouble getting access to basic needs like fuel food and clean drinking water. While conditions are improving each day, they are encouraging others to donate to hurricane relief efforts.
"It's very sad for us you know not being able to go there and help them, but at the same time we understand and I think we do better by staying here and sending them supplies," said Feliciano
Jesus and his wife are asking people to donate to "United for Puerto Rico." An initiative brought forth by the first lady of Puerto Rico. To donate click here.
