Last Sunday (1/24/10) I was asked by Fox News National Show Fox and Friends to talk about my experience of being in Haiti. A Limo had been reserved for me to pick me up in Miami to take me to the local studios for a satellite interview with the New York anchors. Unfortunately (or fortunately, they canceled cause of other news…I suspect what happened in Mass.)
So there went my first national news interview.
Here’s what happened. The Atlantis gang chartered the Liberty of the Seas. For various reasons, which I’ll discuss below, we set sail for Labadee Haiti. Later I found out we were carrying Haitian crew members from Miami home to be with their families in this time of tragedy. We were also carrying 60 pallets of non perishibles (water, rice, beans, canned goods). I saw these pallets of water being unloaded on the dock and put on trucks operated by Food for the Poor, a non profit group in Haiti. The trucks would be heading for Port au Prince for distribution for those in need. I was told this would save lives.
So I took out my cell phone and made a little video of this. I put it on facebook with a note which said,
“Matt Yee: my day in Haiti 1/19/2010
This is surreal. I wake up this afternoon on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas. (I know I'm on Atlantis and Hawaii time, plus I had a late show last night). I open the balcony window, walk out and see a beautiful Caribbean Sea off the shores of Haiti.
I put on sunscreen and walk to the island (no tenders!). I meet some friends and we get on some jet skis and go zooming into the Ocean. What a way to wake up!
When I return, I see pallets of supplies the ship I'm sailing on has been carrying from Miami being unloaded and put onto trucks, bound for Port au Prince. I'm told this will save lives.
Not only that but I'm told every Haitian who works on Labadee has been affected in some way, relatives missing or gone. Their continued employment helps. The donations of all sales from today's visit helps. The port taxes that goes to the Haitian government helps. So does the $1 million that Royal Caribbean donated to the relief effort, and the over $40,000 and counting Atlantis has helped raised.
Surreal. But I'm also glad we're working to make some kind of a difference. ”
One of my facebook friends put it on cruise critic (and later asked me for permission which I gave freely). Cruise critic put it on their national news section. The next thing I know I get a call from Fox.
That night I asked Rich Campbell head of Atlantis Events whether I should do it or not. He said, “You should definitely do it. We need to get the word out that we are doing something by going there.” Already the LGBT fund he set up along with Olivia and RSVP had raised nearly $240,000 for the Red Cross in Haiti (http://american.redcross.org/LGBT-pub). Plus every dime that was spent on the island was going to Haiti, along with the continued sustained employment of over 500 haitians at Labadee. This is in addition to the donations of clothing and money by the crew as well. And over $1 million by Royal Caribbean to the Haitian relief effort.
RCCL also cleared me to do the interview (Thank you Adam Goldstein). And so I felt I was ready to talk about my experience of being on one of the first ships to go to Haiti after the earthquake. What I would have said is what I’ve talked about above:
1. The Haitian government asked Royal Caribbean to come back as soon as possible. To provide sustained and continued employment for the local Haitians that work on Labadee.
2. Royal Caribbean has donated over $1 million to the Haitian relief effort through various organizations including food for the poor and the Solano Foundation in Haiti.
3. Atlantis Events helped to raised over $240,000 for the GLBT fund for the American Red Cross in Haiti.
4. We carried 60 pallets of water/rice/beans/canned goods, unloaded them onto trucks from food for the poor who would distribute them to those in need in port au prince.
5. All proceeds from sales on the island were donated to the Haitian relief effort. This includes the jet ski tour I took, proceeds from drink sales, etc.
6. I myself donated my tip jar from Divas Live to the Atlantis LGBT Fund. So there, I did my part too! And thank you boys for your tips
7. The Liberty ferried Haitian crew members from Miami back home to Haiti that week.
8. The crew donated clothing and money too.
9. It was surreal being on the island again, jet skiing, walking the island, seeing all the improvements Royal Caribbean has made (millions of dollars in infrastructure), visiting my dad’s tree (he passed away 4 years ago Feb. 2 as we were sailing into Labadee) and jet skiing in the calm Caribbean waters. But I also knew we were doing something to make a difference by being there too.
10. And we will be back there next week.
So there you have it. My brush with fame and with Haiti all in the same week. Take care of yourselves and each other.
Aloha,
Matt Yee
