Christa’s Story

At 5 pm on January 12, 2010, a cataclysmic earthquake shook central Haiti, the worst such seismic event in over 200 years.  In Darbonne, Christa Brelsford, her brother Julian, and three Haitian colleagues from the community literacy program, Heads Together Haiti, were preparing to log onto the Internet.  Within seconds they ran for the stairs, and four made it to safety as the house collapsed.  Christa was pinned at the legs under the rubble.

In what can only be described as an inexplicable miracle, Gerald Lumarque, Wenson Georges, and Julian were able to lift off the rubble, and to break up the larger pieces with a pick ax in order to free Christa. Gerald then drove his motorcycle while Wenson held Christa on the back, like an infant, evacuating her to the Sri Lankan UN Peacekeeping Mission near Leogane.  After rudimentary first aid from two Sri Lankan Army doctors, Christa waited through the night, while Wenson kept her company.  As injured Haitians continued to arrive, the night was filled with sounds of tears and pain, but also of hymns of comfort.  At daylight, Major Sujith of the Sri Lankan Army made his way to the US Army compound in Port-au-Prince and secured an ambulance to bring Christa, Julian, and two other severely wounded Americans to the Port-au-Prince airport.

Christa was medevaced to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, arriving just 30 hours after having been trapped in the rubble.  In emergency surgery, the doctors could not save her lower right leg due to the severity of the injury. Julian arrived in Miami the following morning, with minor injuries to his right foot. Christa and Julian received excellent medical care in Miami.  The family joined them there, with hearts full of gratitude.  By January 22rd, Christa had concluded her fourth and final surgery and Julian was ready to go home to Philadelphia. Christa will return soon to Arizona for her rehabilitation.

This initiative was born in the days after Christa’s arrival in Miami, as Christa and her family sought ways to support these Angels, without whom Christa would not be with us today.

Hear Christa’s story from two of her rescuers.