OK, SORRY TO YELL, BUT HERE'S THE DEAL...I'M IN DALLAS W/ DALLAS DAVE AND CELESTE WHO HAVE CHILDREN AND FAMILY ON THE ISLAND... JUST TALKED TO JERRY MCDERMOTT WHO HAS RADIO CONTACT TO OUR FAV ISLAND,...WORD IS, EVERYBODY IS OK...VERY FEW CASUALTIES, MAYBE SOME FOLKS ON THE OUTSKIRTS WAY IN THE BACK IN SHACKS, NOBODY KNOWS...LOTS OF PEOPLE COMING BY THE AIRPORT (WHERE THE RADIO IS) SAYING EVERYBODY OK FOR THE MOST PART,MAYBE SOME CUTS AND SRATCHES FROM FLYING DEBRIS, LOT'S OF DAMAGE, LOT'S OF ROOFS GONE,(MOSTLY TIN), BUT ALSO LOT'S OF FOOD AND WATER, AND EVERYONE GOOD AND JUST WAITING OUT THE STORM. THEIR COMING IN WED TO BELIZE CTY. TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO THE ISLE. HOPE THIS COMFORTS LOTS OF YOU OUT THERE,...VERY, VERY GOOD NEWS!

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Rick Dowell, with the US State Department Emergency Evacuation Center, reported to us that David Chang with the US Consulate office in Belize has been in communication with John Grief, Jr. of Tropicaire. Mr. Grief indicates he has been in contact with representatives on Ambergris Caye as well as administrators of St. Matthew's University School of Medicine. He stated there were no reports of medical emergencies or fatalities on Ambergris Caye. An administrator of St. Matthew's University reported that all campus buildings appear to be intact.
Most damage observed thus far was apparently confined to the Western side of the island.

We will continue to update this information as it is available to us.
Betsy Thornton
St. Matthews