Atlanta's Haitian Quake Medical Evacuees Re-visited

By Susan Mittleman

Atlanta, GA – Last February, after Haiti's devastating January 12th earthquake, 48 critically injured Haitians and 21 family members were airlifted to Atlanta and sent to area hospitals for treatment. Susan Mittleman caught up with two of the medical evacuees she reported on last year to see how they're doing now.

The Haitians have been eagerly attending English classes at the Refugee Resettlement Immigration Services of Atlanta or RRISA, for the past year. RRISA has been overseeing the Haitian Relief program since the first medical evacuees arrived after last January's earthquake.

"My name is Enrique Luis." "My name is James Pierre." 49 year- old Enrique Luis and 22 year-old James Pierre were among 48 severely injured Haitians airlifted to Atlanta for treatment. Both Enrique and James had serious spinal chord injuries and told by doctors in Haiti they'd never walk again.

After surgery at Grady Hospital, the two met in rehab at the Shepherd Center, taking their first steps toward recovery. What seemed liked an impossible dream is today a reality, and surprising to James. "That's why I thank god every day!" James Pierre is not only walking, but running; not quite playing soccer, but feeling strong. "Even though I feel a little pain, I was always strong, I always was strong." He is taking GED classes in Decatur, hoping to finish in six months. He misses his family, but says, "I would like to stay here, take my GED, go to college, have a career."

A year ago, Enrique was in a wheelchair. Today, he too is walking, even running a little, though not fast. "I'm very happy to be where i am today," says Enrique. "I can climb stairs. I cannot run up the stairs, but I can walk up the stairs."

Translator and RRISA resettlement manager Jesse Brutus-Carre says she's humbled every day by the Haitian's determination and courage. "What has surprised me, and what has been a revelation to them, is the fact that they're able to thrive. These are people who were condemned, people in very dire medical states when they came here. So I think that every day that they wake up and able to walk around, be ambulant, has been a real achievement."

53 of the original 69 Haitians who came here are out of hospitals or assisted living, and living in community apartments. Six have already gotten jobs. Their medical parolee status granted by the U.S. government has been extended for another year, but Paedia Mixon, executive director of RRISA, says the future is still uncertain. "We really don't know at this point whether they'll be offered an opportunity to become permanent residents or if they'll continue to renew parole." And of more immediate concern, says Mixon, the money will run out March 31st. "We have some emergency funds for clients who have not achieved self-sufficiency at that point. those emergency funds we're predicting, that they will run out by june 30, 2011."

Like most of the medical evacuees here, Enrique and James still have family living on the streets in Haiti. They say they're grateful to everyone in the U.S. who's helped them. And their dream now is to stay here, go to school, have careers and help their families. "If I'm here today," says Enrique, "it's because I could've been in Haiti and could've been a parapalegic, if today I'm here and I'm walking, God is telling me there's a plan for me."

For more information, visit RRISA.org