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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Miracle escapes
By Deirdre Dalton
TWO Waterford city natives had miraculous escapes from the earthquake, which struck Haiti last week, thanks to the forward thinking of businessman Denis O’Brien.
Both Paddy Doyle (pictured) from Maypark Lane and Sharon Doyle from Ballybricken (no relation) were working in different parts of the 11-storey Digicel building in Haiti’s capital, Port-auPrince.
The tallest building in the city, it also proved to be the most secure as much of the rest of the metropolis crumbled. Mr. O’Brien built the structure to withstand even a severe earthquake.
Speaking from the safety of his Jamaican hotel, 29-year-old Paddy told the Waterford News & Star that he is, “feeling grand but I’m anxious to get involved in as constructive a way as possible. I’m just trying to be as useful as I can.”
Although he had the option of flying home to Waterford on Monday, the ex-Irish soldier decided to remain on in Jamaica in an effort to help those he left behind in Haiti.
“I can do more from here at the moment. I can meet some of the aid workers who will be travelling to Haiti and give them firsthand information about what things are like there,” he said.
For Paddy, doing something constructive to help the people he has left behind is the most important thing to him right now.
Having lived and worked in Haiti for the past three years, working for Taxback.com, Paddy had never experienced anything like the utter devastation that occurred in the country when the quake hit last Tuesday.
He had just returned from his Christmas break at home and was getting stuck into work in the newly opened call centre.
“I was in the Digicel building, on the 11th floor, in a meeting when the quake struck. When it started first I couldn’t assess what it was. When the building started to sway I jumped up and caught a colleague of mine and began to run down the stairs.”
“When I got outside all I could see was the petrol station across the road blowing up fire balls. It was like the end of the world. When I saw the utter destruction on the street it registered with me then, this is an earthquake,” he said.
“The level of death and people dying, half buried bodies, people looking up at you screaming for you to help them, it was just unbelievable.”
Paddy’s instinct was to get himself to a large open park about 1km from his office, where he knew he would be safe.
He spent the three days and nights immediately after the quake working with security personnel from his company trying to do whatever he could to help the survivors.
“The after shocks were nearly more frightening. It was sleeping on the belly of a beast. You didn’t know how long they were going to last or how bad they’d be.”
“The screams of the Haitian people who lost their loved ones would just torment you,” he said.
Family relieved
“We’re just so relieved that he’s okay at this stage. My mum had an agonising night of staring at Sky News as the news of the earthquake broke,” said Paddy’s sister Karen Doyle.
“It’s nothing short of a miracle that he survived. When the earthquake struck, he was on the top floor of the tallest building in Haiti, and he still survived. It’s only in the aftermath of the whole thing that you can digest it and realise how lucky he is,” she said.
“He managed to phone home and spoke to my mum on the Wednesday night. She just wanted to hear his voice and hear for herself that he was okay. The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since, people have been calling to the house, texting, emailing, and his Facebook page was almost in meltdown,” she said.
“It’s been a crazy week. The disaster in Haiti puts everything into perspective. When you come so close to losing somebody, I guess it makes you realise how much we take for granted. It’s Patrick’s 30th birthday on Friday and we’re just glad that wherever he will be for it, all his friends and family will be able to celebrate.”
Sharon Doyle from Ballybricken was coincidentally working in the same building as Paddy when disaster struck. She is also in Jamaica trying to help out.
Sharon’s mother said her daughter was content to stay in Jamaica and return to the devastated country once things settle down.
Sharon had only returned to the island on Monday last, following a trip home for her graduation from WIT for a degree in Business and Finance. The 36-year-old Ballybricken native had been working in Haiti since April last year.
The accountant works for a security company called Reconnaissance Group based in the Digicel complex. It was one of the only buildings to survive the quake. She is being well looked after, according to her mother Jean.
“She’s happy enough to stay out there. Her job is out there and that’s where she wants to be,” said Jean, who hasn’t been able to speak to her only daughter since the disaster, but has been in contact with her by text and email.
Need to respond
“I’m very concerned that the Irish respond and do something worthwhile for these people in the long-term as well as right now. What people need to realise is that this isn’t just pictures on your telly, this is reality and they need our help,” Paddy said.
He would like the Irish people to put pressure on the Government to deploy the army on a humanitarian trip to Haiti.
“People should donate to Goal, Concern, Soul of Haiti and Haven because they will be guaranteed the money and aid will go directly to the people,” he said.
Looking forward to returning home to Waterford in the coming days, he said aside from wanting to see his parents, Pat and Mary Ann, and his sister Karen, he’s really looking forward to seeing his two-yearold nephew, Jack.
“I’ll probably bring him out to the beach and have some fun with him. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the lads and having a few drinks as well,” he said.
“I felt bad leaving my mates behind but I knew I’d be more use here in Jamaica and when I get home to Ireland.”
“I’m not someone who just wants to get home and forget what happened. There’s so much I can do from home and I plan to return to Haiti in some capacity in the future,” he said.
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