Frantzy Saintelus had a strong desire to return to the country of his birth, a place that had held a special place in his heart for over four decades.
Once he arrived at his destination, he found himself in a life-threatening situation as he attempted to make his escape.
Saintelus, who is now 56 years old, originally hails from Haiti. However, at the age of 14, he moved to the United States to reunite with his mother who had already established a life there. Even though he has raised his family in New Hampshire and works as a truck driver, he has always held a deep connection to the Caribbean country he left behind during his childhood.
“I’ve been longing to return home because I’ve been missing it,” he expressed.
In February, Saintelus made his way back to Haiti, his home country. He was eager to reconnect with his extended family who still resided there, as well as tend to his rental property and vehicles. However, upon his arrival, he sensed that something was amiss.
In late February, criminal gangs seized control of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. They initiated a series of widespread attacks, resulting in the destruction of police stations, the takeover of the city’s international airport and seaport, and the disruption of crucial food and humanitarian aid supply chains. Additionally, around 4,000 inmates were freed from the country’s largest prisons.
According to the United Nations, the number of casualties in Haiti during the period from early January to March 22 exceeded 1,550 deaths and left over 820 individuals injured.
“Nothing was moving, rendering it impossible to make any purchases,” Saintelus recounted. “The entire country was in a state of shutdown. And to make matters worse, gunshots were fired in every direction.”
As soon as he and his cousins attempted to travel, it became evident that the situation had taken a turn for the worse. “Everywhere you look, there are people brandishing guns. It’s almost like a scene out of a Wild West movie,” he described.
In Virginia, Alex Saintelus, Frantzy’s eldest son, witnessed the turmoil unfolding on the island and became aware of the possibility that his father could lose his life. He resorted to using WhatsApp, an encrypted text-message application, to communicate with his father. However, due to the intermittent internet service, they would go hours or even days without hearing from each other.
“I was absolutely terrified,” revealed Alex, a 31-year-old individual.
Alex, a middle-school history and civics teacher, decided to take a break from his job and dedicated two days to contacting various individuals in the hopes of finding someone who would lend an ear. With his background in teaching, he understood the fundamental principles of government representation and the responsibility it carries. Curiosity struck him, and he embarked on a mission to put this knowledge to the test.
After making numerous phone calls, Alex not only managed to garner attention from local media outlets but also established connections with the offices of U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. Additionally, he got in touch with the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the U.S. State Department. Through these channels, Alex received updates regarding the ongoing evacuation efforts, which involved airlifting his father and other American citizens by helicopter from the U.S. Embassy located near Port-au-Prince.
Frantzy Saintelus found himself confined within his family’s residence, located 15 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince. The prevailing sense of fear prevented him from venturing outside. Men armed with large guns patrolled every five or six blocks, making it dangerous to roam the streets. He soon realized that no matter where he went, the risk of getting caught in the crossfire was ever-present.
“We could hear the sound of gunshots, but we were unsure of their origin. As I moved further, the situation only grew more intense,” he explained.
On March 25, the Bureau of Consular Affairs informed Alex that his father’s name was included in the list of individuals scheduled to board a helicopter at the U.S. Embassy the following morning at 7 a.m. Although the usual duration of the early-morning ride was 45 minutes, Frantzy, Alex’s father, experienced significant delays. Gangs would frequently halt the public bus he was traveling on every 20 minutes, demanding bribes from the driver. Eventually, the bus reached a point where it could no longer proceed. At this juncture, Frantzy managed to persuade a motorcyclist to accept payment in exchange for taking him on the final leg of his journey.
Frantzy remained at risk even after reaching the embassy. Due to his early arrival, he was compelled to wait outside, making him vulnerable to potential threats once again.
He expressed his concern about the possibility of a shooting occurring at any time. During that period, he felt more worried and had no time to feel scared. He acknowledged that whatever was going to happen would happen.
In Virginia, Alex went to bed the previous night feeling helpless.
“He said there was nothing he could do, so he turned to prayer. He made a heartfelt plea, saying, ‘I pray that my dad will be able to enter the embassy, and when I wake up tomorrow, I hope to receive a text message confirming his arrival.'”
The following morning, Alex was awoken by a text from his father at exactly 8 a.m. The message simply stated that he was safe within the embassy compound.
As Frantzy was being airlifted from Haiti, he experienced a mixture of emotions. He felt relieved knowing that he was safe, but also couldn’t help but feel a deep sadness as he watched the island grow smaller in the distance.
“This is the country I grew up in, a place that holds a special place in my heart,” he expressed. Although he holds hope in his heart to one day return, he acknowledges the unfortunate reality that conditions there are deteriorating with each passing day.”
Alex mentioned that he plans to incorporate the lessons he learned from this experience into his classroom in the upcoming academic year.
He highlighted that civics can become complicated and emotionally charged, particularly when exposed to current news. Many people hold the belief that the government is responsible for committing terrible acts and causing harm. However, he emphasized that this perception is not accurate.
“I was never able to rescue my dad from that predicament. I lack the ability to confront the gangs or pilot a helicopter. However, there are individuals within our government who possess these skills. If you are knowledgeable about the system and know who to contact and communicate with, and if you can navigate the system effectively, it holds the potential to bring about miraculous outcomes,” he shared.
Alex emphasized that when it comes down to it, the government is composed of individuals, and the potential for progress lies in finding capable and ethical individuals.