**Nine Months Pregnant and Homeless: Crystal Morris Awaits Birth Amid Hurricane Melissa Devastation**
Nine months pregnant and rendered homeless by Hurricane Melissa, Crystal Morris is preparing for the birth of her child while living in cramped conditions inside an immobile minivan with her family.
The monster storm that ravaged Jamaica’s western region tore through Morris’ New Works community in Westmoreland, completely flattening her wooden home.
On Wednesday, the expectant mother sat on a plastic chair outside her new “home” — a minivan that had been blown into place by the hurricane’s 185-mile-per-hour winds. At the front of the van, overloaded with belongings salvaged from the rubble, Morris’ seven-year-old son sat quietly. In the cargo area, her cousin laid across the floor with her feet dangling through the door opening. In the distance, Morris’ mother spoke with another relative.
**Fear of Encroaching Rain**
Rain was on the horizon, and the family prepared to hole up in the van, not wanting to encroach on their neighbour who accommodates them at night. The abandoned vehicle, Morris explained, had been parked in the community for years. Blown to its current location by the storm, her cousin managed to heave it upright, and they packed what was left of their belongings into it.
“That’s how we put in our stove and other things. We sleep over there and we come over here in the daytime and stay. The bathroom blew down also, but we still bend down and bathe in it. We just sleep at the neighbour’s house. We don’t really use it like we would use our house,” Morris shared.
**A Difficult Pregnancy Amid Crisis**
With her due date approaching on November 19, Morris told The Gleaner that the stress of her situation had become overwhelming. She described her pregnancy as “rough,” often needing to lie down to ease her discomfort or pause daily activities to rest.
“My brain just twists up. I’m thinking about everything — how I am going to carry my baby to people’s yard. It just makes me feel emotional and those things,” Morris said, her voice cracking as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I’m very, very sad. But it’s because of my mom that I try to keep my strength. She always says I must not stress the baby because the baby can be born before time. I have her around me and my cousin, who sit and talk to me,” the mother of two added.
Her daughter is staying with her father in Petersfield. Her son, meanwhile, has struggled to cope with the displacement, often breaking down at bedtime. He misses their home, and the journey to the neighbour’s house has left him visibly distressed.
“Most nights when we go over to the neighbour’s, he cries and says he wants to go to his yard. So I have to try and talk to him or my mother talks to him when he cries. The pregnancy makes me very emotional too, so each time he starts crying, I start crying,” said Morris.
**The Storm’s Wrath and Aftermath**
Her mother has been a steady support for the family, who were unprepared for the storm’s intensity. Though aware of Hurricane Melissa’s approach on October 28, Morris initially dismissed the warnings as exaggerated.
When the Category 5 storm hit, the roof of their shared home was torn away and the structure shredded. The family fled to a neighbour’s house for refuge.
“When my uncle’s side of the house started breaking away, it felt like the breeze came into the house and started lifting everything. We had to run out. My brother carried my son for me. When I reached the garage, the breeze pushed me in. Only God kept me from being thrown up because I couldn’t stop myself — and I was barefoot. I had to take off my slippers and run. So it’s just God alone.”
“We lost everything. We’re homeless,” she said.
“But I’m here and I’m still giving thanks to God. I’m due on the 19th of this month, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m just asking for a little help. Whoever can help me in any way I would really appreciate it.”
**Support and Hope**
Morris’ mother posted a video on social media sharing their plight, which has attracted support. The video also caught the attention of the Jamaica Defence Force, whose members visited the family on Monday.
“They said if I get sick and don’t have a vehicle at that time, to call them and they will airlift me to Savanna-la-Mar Hospital. So that is good for me. I’m not really worrying about that anymore,” she said.
“I’m just hoping and praying to get a roof over our heads because most people — I’m not saying my neighbour would be upset about the baby crying at night, but I have to think about both sides. I have to wonder if he will be alright with it or if he might feel upset about the baby crying in his ears. That’s what I’m thinking about right now.”
“If I could get even one room built for me, my mom, and my son to stay in, I could put two beds in there — one for me and my son and one for my mom. My cousins sleep in the van and my brother too, so they can tough it out until things come together. I would be so grateful for that, mostly because of the baby,” Morris concluded.
—
The story of Crystal Morris highlights the urgent need for assistance in communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa. As she awaits the birth of her child, support from neighbors, authorities, and the wider community could make a critical difference in her family’s life.
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20251114/pregnant-and-homeless
