A Story of Resilience, Loss, and the 4,645 Lives We Must Never Forget
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico as a catastrophic Category 4 storm—one of the deadliest natural disasters in the island’s modern history. Winds over 150 mph tore apart homes, power lines, hospitals, schools, bridges, and entire communities. But the true devastation unfolded in the days, weeks, and months that followed.
Maria was not just a storm.
It was a humanitarian emergency that exposed years of government neglect, mismanagement, and inequality.
And the consequences were deadly—an estimated 4,645 Puerto Ricans lost their lives due to the lack of food, water, medical care, and electricity in the months following the hurricane.
This blog post honors their memory and preserves a history that must never be forgotten.
🌪️ The Storm That Changed Everything
Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico with catastrophic force, destroying:
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80% of the island’s power grid
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Thousands of homes and buildings
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Roads, water systems, and essential infrastructure
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Hospitals and emergency services
For many families, Maria was only the beginning of a long nightmare.
⚡ 11 Months Without Power: A Humanitarian Crisis
One of the most tragic elements of Maria’s aftermath was the long-term collapse of the island’s electrical system.
Some regions—including rural mountain towns—remained without electricity for nearly 11 months, making it the longest blackout in U.S. history.
Without power, families could not:
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Refrigerate food or medicine
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Access clean running water
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Use life-saving medical equipment
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Communicate with emergency services
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Keep hospitals and clinics operational
This prolonged blackout directly contributed to thousands of deaths, especially among the sick, elderly, and medically vulnerable.
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💧 The Hidden Bottled Water Scandal
One of the most heartbreaking discoveries came a year after the storm:
Millions of bottles of emergency water were found abandoned on a runway in Ceiba, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the Island such as Ponce.
Instead of being given to hurricane survivors, bottles were left out to rot.
Desperate Puerto Ricans break into warehouse full of Hurricane Maria disaster supplies from 2017 after discovering it during earthquake damage checks as emergency director is fired
By ASSOCIATED PRESS and LEAH SIMPSON FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
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This water—sent to help survivors—never reached the people who needed it most.
Instead, it sat under scorching heat, wrapped in FEMA plastic, while residents were left:
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Waiting in lines for hours for small rations
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Drinking unsafe water
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Relying on contaminated streams
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Suffering dehydration in tropical heat
The revelation shocked the world.
But for Puerto Ricans, it was yet another reminder of the government's failure to protect its own citizens.
🇵🇷 A Story of Strength: Puerto Rico Still Stands
Despite the trauma, Puerto Ricans showed the world their resilience:
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Communities rebuilt together
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Neighbors shared food, water, and generators
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Local organizations stepped up where officials failed
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Artists, educators, and creators preserved the truth of what happened
Today, “Nunca Olvidar”—Never Forget—is more than a phrase.
It is a promise to honor the victims and ensure their stories live on.
✊ Why We Share This Story
Our Shopify store is inspired by Puerto Rican culture, pride, and resilience.
But it is also rooted in truth—and the responsibility to keep our history alive.
By remembering Hurricane Maria and the 4,645 lives lost, we honor:
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The families who suffered
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The communities that rebuilt from nothing
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The island that continues to rise stronger than before
This blog post, like our artwork, stands as a reminder:
Nunca olvidar. Nunca más.
