>> GIFTS THAT GIVE BACK. >> Anno
SPONSORED BY THE SALVATION ARMY.
DOING THE MOST GOOD.
>>> AND WELCOME BACK THIS
MORNING IN OUR SERIES "THE UP
SIDE" A FITTING STORY FOR GIVING
TUESDAY ABOUT ONE FLORIDA
COMMUNITY THAT CAME TOGETHER TO
HELP A FAMILY IN NEED.
NBC’S KERRY SANDERS IS IN KEY
BISCAYNE, FLORIDA.
GOOD MORNING, KERRY.
THIS IS THE STORY WE NEED TO
HEAR THIS MORNING.
>> Reporter: ABSOLUTELY.
THE AUGUSTY FAMILY HAD TO LEAVE
THE BAHAMAS BECAUSE THEIR LIVES
UPENDED BY HURRICANE DORIAN SO
THEY LEFT THAT ISLAND AND CAME
TO THIS ISLAND, KEY BISCAYNE,
RIGHT OFF THE MIAMI AND WHAT
THEY FOUND HERE WAS A COMMUNITY
FULL OF LOVE AND SUPPORT.
HURRICANE DORIAN HIT THE BAHAMAS
TWO YEARS AGO.
A CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY 5 WITH
WINDS TOPPING 185 MILES PER
HOUR.
CAUGHT IN THE RISING WATERS, THE
AUGUSTY FAMILY WHO WADED OUT OF
THEIR FAMILY HOME IN THE STORM
IN SEARCH OF HIGHER GROUND.
ERIC HELD HIS WIFE AND TWO
CHILDREN WITH ONE ARM WHILE
TRYING TO HELP HIS MOTHER WITH
THE OTHER.
>> TRYING TO LIFT UP MY MOM LIKE
THIS PULL HER OVER AND A PIECE
CUT MY ARM IN HALF AND WHEN WE
JUST WASHED HER GO OVER THE
WAVE.
>> Reporter: ERIC LOOKED INTO
HIS MOTHER’S EYES AS SHE
DRIFTEDS OFF.
>> WE THE SMILE ON HER FACE
WHILE GOING, SHE’S LIKE, PROUD
OF ME, BECAUSE SHE FEELS LIKE I
DID THE BEST THAT I COULD TO
SAVE HER.
>> Reporter: IT WAS THE LAST
TIME HE WOULD EVER SEE HER
ALIVE.
>> I SAID, GOD, PLEASE, DON’T
LET ME DIE RIGHT NOW.
THIS IS THE NOT THE TIME.
SAVE ME, AND INSTANTLY I FELT
LIKE TWO ANGELS COME ON THE SIDE
OF ME AND LIFT ME UP AND HOOK ME
UP INTO A TREE.
>> Reporter: IRKERIC’S WHILE ELS
WITH TRAINING AS A NURSE SAVED
HIS LIFE.
>> AND I DID WHAT I KNEW WHAT TO
DO.
>> Reporter: AFTER 17 HOURS,
ERIC WAG FINALLY AIRLIFTED TO
NASSAU AND EVENTUALLY TO MIAMI’S
JACKSON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
IN A NEW COUNTRY, HIS WIFE ELSY
AND TWO CHILDREN, AARON AND
CHLOE NEED ADD SAFE TO PLACE.
>> NEVER CONSIDERED THEM
STRANGERS, NEVER HESITATED TO
HAVE THEM COME INTO OUR HOUSE
ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF GREAT
NEED.
>> Reporter: THE GUTIERREZ
FAMILY KNEW HIS BROTHER JOHNNY
AND TOOK ELSY AND THE KIDS INTO
THEIR HOME.
>> DURING THE DAYS, ELSY WOULD
SPEND MUCH OF THE TIME AT THE
HOSPITAL AT IRK’S SIDE AND WE
WOULD TAKE TURNS CARING FOR THE
CHILDREN.
>> Reporter: BUT THE FAMILY NEED
ADD MORE PERMANENT PLACE TO
STAY.
THE VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYNE,
FLORIDA, ANSWERED THE CALL.
>> I SAID, WELL, MY HOUSE IS
HALF-WAY DONE AND I HAVE TWO
CARS.
SO I ALSO GAVE THEM MY CAR FOR
TRANSPORTATION FOR HER TO VISIT
ERIC AT THE HOSPITAL AND BRING
THE KIDS TO THE SCHOOL.
>> Reporter: YOU DIDN’T KNOW
ERIC.
>> I DIDN’T KNOW NOBODY.
>> Reporter: YET YOU OPENED YOUR
HOUSE TO STRANGERS?
WHY?
>> I DON’T SEE THEM AS
STRANGERS.
I DIDN’T.
I JUST SAW THERE WAS PEOPLE IN
NEED.
AND IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE
TO DO FOR EACH OTHER.
>> Reporter: OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COMMUNITY ALSO STEPPING UP
PROVIDING FOOD, CLOTHES AND
TOYS, AND EVEN ARRANGED FOR THE
KIDS TO GO TO SCHOOL.
>> EVERY TIME THAT I PICK AT
SCHOOL, A TINY THING RUNNING
TOWARDS ME WITH OPEN ARMS!
>> Reporter: SOUNDS LIKE YOU GOT
SOMETHING OUT OF THIS THAT YOU
DIDN’T EXPECT?
>> WELL, I DON’T HAVE GRANDKIDS.
THESE TWO KIDS, THEY BECAME, YOU
KNOW, MY GRANDKIDS.
>> THE KIDS LOST A GRANDPARENT,
AND GOD GAVE THEM ANOTHER
GRANDPARENT.
>> Reporter: THE AUGUSTYS NOW
BACK HOME IN THE BAHAMAS
REBUILDING THEIR LIFE THERE.
WE SURPRISED THEM WITH MESSAGES
FROM THEIR FRIENDS IN KEY
BISCAYNE.
FROM THE MAYOR.
>> KNOW YOU’RE ALWAYS WELCOME
BACK ON KEY BISCAYNE AND HOPE TO
SEE YOU SOMETIME SOON.
>> WE ARE SO LUCKY.
>> Reporter: TO THEIR CHILDREN’S
PREHN
PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS.
>> TRULY A BLESSING.
>> HI, GUYS!
>> WE MISS YOU!
>> Reporter: AND FRIENDS.
>> WE SEND YOU ALL OF OUR LOVE
AND BLESSINGS ALWAYS.
WE ALL SHARE A SPECIAL MOMENT OF
HELPING YOU GUYS OUT.
STAY SAFE AND YOU’RE WELCOME
BACK ANYTIME.
>> I WISH YOU A MERRY, MERRY
CHRISTMAS.
I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE
YOU!
>> Reporter: AN EMOTIONAL
REUNION BETWEEN A FAMILY AND THE
COMMUNITY WHICH HELPED THEM IN
THEIR GREATEST TIME OF NEED.
>> >> All: WE LOVE YOU, KEY
BISCAYNE!
>> Reporter: THE AUGUSTY FAMILY
RECENTLY WELCOMED A NEW MEMBER
TO THEIR FAMILY.
A LITTLE GIRL THEY NAMED KILEY
BETWEEN THE EMOTIONS OF HAVING
THEIR FAMILY TOGETHER AND
GETTING THE MESSAGES FROM HERE
ON KEY BISCAYNE AND ALL THE LOVE
AND SUPPORT IS PERHAPS A MESSAGE
FOR ALL OF US ESPECIALLY DURING
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON TO THINK
ABOUT OTHERS.
FOLKS WHO MAY START OUT ANY
OTHER STRANGERS AND WIND UP
BEING LIKE FAMILY.
GUYS?
>> KERRY, TERRIFIC.
AND WE’RE ALL SMILING.