Son finds out father is OK after Hurricane Maria hits Puerto Rico

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Santiago Barrios located his father, Santiago Barrios Sr., after Channel 9's story aired on Wednesday.

Barrios, who lives in Charlotte, previously said that he hadn't spoken to his father since Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico.

[How to help Hurricane Maria victims: Where to donate, how to volunteer and more]

(Santiago Barrios Sr.)

A Charlotte man, who spent more than a week worrying if his father was alive after Hurricane Maria, has finally contacted him.

Santiago Barrios was trying to reach his father in Puerto Rico that was devastated by the hurricane.

Rena Salamone, a disaster relief worker with Heart Search and Rescue found Barrios' father whose home was overcome with 15 feet of water.

"We officially found your parents," Salomone told Barrios less than 10 hours after Channel 9 aired a story about his desperate search.

"I was really thankful and relieved that we found them,” Salomone said. “A lot of people didn't make it out of there."

Salamone said conditions are terrible in the small town of Ciales.

"It was very bad,” Salamone said. “It’s obvious death had occurred there and people were trapped in their homes still."

Salamone is making arrangements to reunite Barrios with his father who deals with chronic medical issues.

They are working on getting him on the first flight from Puerto Rico to Charlotte.

Son hopes father is alive several days after Maria hits Puerto Rico

The Category 4 hurricane hit the island last Wednesday with 150 mph winds.

"I've been trying my father day and night, my sister day and night, my aunt day and night. Trying to see if anyone on the island is able to contact anybody," Barrios said Wednesday.

(Santiago Barrios' aunt)

He was concerned, that since his father lives in a rural area, he may not get help right away.

"I don't know how they're cooking their food, how they're lighting their houses, nothing. No phones..." Barrios said before breaking down in tears.

His father has medical issues, and Barrios is concerned he may not survive on the battered island. The phones are busy, and aid groups on the ground haven't been able to help him.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed, that I will get through, just to see that, that he's still OK," Barrios said.

But with each passing day, the crisis seems to get worse and he hopes that anyone who can see his anguish, can check on his dad.

“I saw him last year. I was hoping it wasn’t my last. It may be,” Barrios said.

The family contacted Samaritan’s Purse and the Red Cross. Eyewitness News anchor John Paul contacted U.S. Reps Robert Pittenger and Alma Adams to see if there is anything they can do.

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