JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Madness. A total disaster.
That's how a Bahamian man describes what he's enduring after Hurricane Dorian, stranded in the Abaco Islands, living out of his boss's pickup truck with two gallons of water, a bag of chips, a package of Oreo cookies and a knife to protect himself.
Lorenzo Davis Jr. works at Cherokee Aviation, a private jet company at Marsh Harbour International Airport in Abaco. He said he's running desperately low on water and food.
"I thank God for life and the people who are trying to help, the guys in the U.S. and all these military people," he told Mary Baer by phone. "I've tried to help as much people as possible, but I can only do so much."
Mary: "I tried to call you but you said you were busy trying to get a family with children onto a flight out of Treasure (Cay), is that right?"
"Yes ma'am, and the lady told me that the flight is full and they're charging 75 bucks, and, I'm like, 'How can you be charging people at a time like this?'" Davis said. "Nobody has no money. No banks! All the banks are gone. No ATMs, and they're charging people to get out of here. That's don't sit right. That don't sit right with me. I wanted to cry."
"This is madness," Davis continued. "This is disaster."
Mary: "Do you have food?"
"I have very little food and very little water. I have two gallons of water left. No money. No wallet," Davis Jr. said. "This could have never been a regular Category 5 hurricane. That had to have been more than that."
Davis described some of the destruction he's witnessed after the storm.
"You got boats from the ocean in the forest. You got boats in town! I'm taking about big ships! I'm sure no 175 mph breeze did that alone," Davis Jr. said. "Everything is wiped out. Wiped out."
Davis said people on the island have resorted to stealing and robbing. He said his girlfriend was able to get a flight out to Nassau.
"I thank God for all these people with private planes that are trying to get people out of here," he said.
Mary: "There's a huge contingent of people trying to get planes down there and are loading up supplies, now, as we're speaking."
"Please, please, if they can come as soon as possible," Davis said. "These people need help down here, man, they need help bad. I have to stay strong from just about everybody. I have to stay strong. I can't break down now. I have to stay strong."
Organizations are coming together to help survivors in the Bahamas. Click here for a list of ways to donate.