BATAVIA TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Paramedic Rose Bradley's heart was thousands of miles away from Batavia Township Thursday -- in Haiti, where she said her son was on the first non-military plane to enter the country after Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc on parts of the island nation.
Joshua James, 37, is a flight medic now helping the emergency services organization HERO rebuild a devastated hospital 200 miles from Port Au Prince. His journey to reach it involved a private plane, a ride, a boat and then a 10-mile hike.
"He’s going to the hardest-hit part of Haiti," Bradley said. "The roads have been washed out. The bridges have been washed out. The medics have to take their own food and water purification tablets because there are no grocery stores. Everything in that town is destroyed."
Bradley said she last spoke with her son Tuesday -- and it may be their last chat until he returns to the United States next week. James’ busy schedule and the unpredictability of power and cell transmission in a post-disaster landscape means opportunities to communicate with family and friends will be rare in the coming days.
Bradley is concerned, she said, but proud.
"I know his desire is to save people’s lives," Bradley said.
She can only hope he takes care of himself, too.
