Hundreds of earthquakes have shaken Puerto Rico for weeks, resulting in human and nonhuman animal deaths, the collapse of buildings and homes, power outages, and terrified locals. One article by CNN reports that “Since December 28, more than 500 earthquakes of magnitude 2 or greater have rattled the area, according to the US Geological Survey.” While we appreciate the coverage of these tragedies by big media outlets, they have overlooked some of the most important pieces of this disastrous puzzle.
Above stand Eni López Barrios and her husband, José Seda, in front of their former home. Countless viewers have seen this image of the crumbled peach house plastered online, mainly shared by big news outlets like ABC 7 NY, CNN, USA Today, NBC, and MSN.
What you won’t see, however, are the faces of the owners of the now-famous but destroyed home in Guánica, which lies in the epicenter of the earthquakes. Or their
Greeted by a warm smile but weary eyes, Eni told us their story. The tremors started on December 28th of 2019 while Eni was gone on vacation with her daughter. They returned home on January 4th, only to be met with a 6.4 earthquake two days later. Eni recalled the experience by saying, “The house danced, danced, and danced without stopping, but we couldn’t exit the house.” They then evacuated their home on the 6th of January, only to learn that their house endured immense damages on January 7th at 4:26 AM.
Eni said that she stops by what remains of their house each day to make sure that their belongings are still inside, feed their pig companion Pepa who lives outside, and waits in hopes that someone is ready to offer assistance. Eni reports that no government officials, organizations, or assistance programs have reached out to provide help in any way.
In addition to losing her home, Eni lost two of their four dogs that were trapped under their home on January 7th. In addition to losing their living space and animal companions, she shared that this house holds an immense amount of sentimental value for her. The home was previously owned by her grandma who passed away on January 7th in 2003. Now, 17 years later, the house crumpled under force of the earthquake on January 7th of 2020.
Despite all of the worldwide coverage that Eni and José’s house has received, the family has received no help from the outlets that share the photo of their home. The couple expressed that what they most need now is assistance to get them headed in the right direction to rebuild their home and lives. In addition, donations are of great use as they figure out their next steps.
*It is important to note that Eni has had her personal information displayed on a sign just outside of the house to the right, including her full name, personal phone number, and PayPal address. She has received no assistance or support despite photos of their home going viral. Her PayPal address is Paypal.me/EniLopezBarrios.
Please contact ABC 7 NY, CNN, USA Today, NBC, and MSN to ask them to share the full story of the house that went viral and the family that once called it home. Most importantly, ask them to share the PayPal address posted by the house, Paypal.me/EniLopezBarrios, of Eni López Barrios and her family.
This story was covered by Calen Ann Otto from Unruly Travel & Living with help from Lisa McDonald from Kindness Empire and Anthony Anthony Martinez from Casa Vegana de la Comunidad.
