Penn State Students from Puerto Rico Discuss Hurricane’s Impact

Penn State senior Nikole Benfield anxiously waited four days after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico to hear that her family was OK, but that the place she calls home was now in shambles. 

‘When you haven’t heard from anyone for four days, your mind goes to crazy places,’ Benfield says.

The hurricane has devastated Puerto Rico, leaving many citizens without shelter, water and communication with the rest of the world.

Benfield’s father drove for hours to the nearest place he could find a signal to let her know of the current conditions.

For junior Tatiana Rotger, also from Puerto Rico, it’s been difficult to be nearly 2,000 miles away from her home and family as they deal with the destruction.

‘The worst feeling is knowing that I’m here and living my life completely normal and can’t do anything to help them,’ Rotger says.

Centre County Report’s Taylor Rambo has more with Benfield and Rotger, as well as relief efforts locally and nationally.

This video is produced by and for Centre County Report and shared through a partnership with StateCollege.com.