Two fishermen make the most out of Hurricane Melissa's destruction by providing relief for fellow Jamaicans
Amid immense devastation in Jamaica, two fishermen are providing relief for fellow Jamaicans, and documenting their good deeds to growing online audience on YouTube.
Local fishermen join FOX Weather to discuss their efforts in aiding Jamaica’s recovery nearly three weeks after Hurricane Melissa struck the area
Hurricane Melissa left Jamaica in ruins nearly three weeks ago, causing massive destruction. Oshane Stewart and Kemar McPherson from Rod Fishing Jamaica join FOX Weather to recount their efforts in keeping hope alive during the recovery process by gathering supplies and water, and cooking meals as they get ready to head west to deliver it all.
PORTLAND, Jamaica – After Hurricane Melissa made a devastating landfall in western Jamaica, two local fishermen came up big for their community and fellow Jamaicans across the island that suffered through the worst the life-changing storm had to offer.
Oshane Stewart, 26, and Kemar McPherson, 35, both of the Parish of Portland, Jamaica, have long been documenting their fishing excursions in the Caribbean Sea on YouTube. A series of videos trademarked by long-fought battles reeling in big-time fish, and the ensuing celebration cooking the fruits of their labor with friends and family.
Typically showcasing some of Jamaica's most picturesque views and good times on the island, Hurricane Melissa took over the spotlight as the pair braced for what forecasts warned could be the strongest hurricane to ever hit the island. And that it was.
Hurricane Melissa made its catastrophic landfall along the southwestern coast of Jamaica during the afternoon of Oct. 28 as a historic Category 5 storm, lashing the Caribbean island nation with sustained destructive winds of 185 mph, torrential rains measured in feet, and life-threatening storm surge.
To a growing audience of concerned viewers from around the globe, Stewart and McPherson showcased their preparations, situation during the storm, and scenes from their community in the aftermath of the devastating storm.
Hunkered down on the northeast coast of Jamaica in a coastal town just outside the nation's capital city of Kingston, the pair considered themselves lucky to avoid landfall and the swath of destruction that Hurricane Melissa painted through western Jamaica. So they made the decision to make a difference for fellow Jamaicans that weren't as fortunate.
Gut-wrenching damage in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa
FOX Weather Correspondent Robert Ray takes a journey through some of the worst damage in Black River, Jamaica, near where Hurricane Melissa made landfall as a Category 5 storm. Ray found people are desperate for food, water and resources to begin recovery.
BEFORE AND AFTER SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWCASES EXTENSIVE HURRICANE MELISSA DAMAGE
According to the fishermen, their community in Portland sustained flooding and tree damage from furious winds, but nothing comparable to the western side of the island, namely the Parish of Saint Elizabeth, where they traveled after the storm to provide relief to those in need.
See it: Drone video reveals catastrophic damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa
Watch: Drone footage shows extensive damage in Holland Bamboo, Jamaica, caused by the historic Hurricane Melissa. This horrific storm made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, leaving a trail of devastation.
"We have love in our heart, we are compassionate people," McPherson said. "It's always a pleasure to help, it's in our DNA."
One of the most severely devastated places on the island, areas in Saint Elizabeth, including Black Water and Westmoreland, felt the direct impacts of the record-breaking hurricane that packed deadly winds that ravaged nearly everything in sight.
"It looked like a bomb went off," McPherson said of the destruction.
Documenting their journey, the pair gathered care packages of food, water, and other essential supplies, and drove across the island to the Parish of Saint Elizabeth. Dropping off the much-needed packages to mothers, children, the elderly, and those they encountered in need. One trip was not enough for the crew of Jamaicans supporting their fellow compatriots, as they plan to make several visits back to areas left forever changed by Hurricane Melissa.
Kemar McPherson and Oshane Stewart led a relief trip from their homes in northeast Jamaica to the western side of the island that felt the worst of the effects from Hurricane Melissa. (Rod Fishing Jamaica / FOX Weather)
The pair remain a shining light of positivity on the island, and online, representing what they said it means to be Jamaican: assisting others in need of a helping hand.
To follow their journey providing relief to fellow Jamaicans and catching big fish, visit their YouTube channels; Rod Fishing Jamaica and Life With Kemar.