NEW ORLEANS — Someone who considers New Orleans a second home, calls the Bahamas his first home. Jeffrey Poitier is in the Bahamas right now and updated us on his situation over the phone Wednesday.
He's with his family in Nassau, Bahamas.
Poitier is known for his work in film and as the nephew of famous actor Sidney Poitier. He owns a house in the Lower Garden District. While Jeffrey Poitier is safe and alive, he has numerous family members who he hasn't heard from since before Hurricane Dorian swept across the islands. That's unfortunately the case for many families right now.
"A lot of people that are frightened, a lot of crying, a lot of unity in helping one another," Poitier said.
In the hardest hit areas of the Bahamas, homes have been leveled, resources are scarce and people are missing. As Dorian hit, Poitier was at his home on Cat Island.
"We got a hell of a lot of rain and a lot of wind, but no damage at all," he said.
He was lucky, but thousands of people on other islands in the Bahamas weren't. At least 20 are dead.
"The death toll is going to be high. We're bracing ourselves for that," Pirtier said.
His sister Barbara lives in Freeport on the Grand Bahama island with her seven children. As of Wednesday evening, no one had heard from her.
"No one has seen or heard from her since before the hurricane so we're really worried about that," he said.
Many people are missing including some of the Poitier family.
"We don't know where a lot of people are because the ocean came in and just took people with it," he said. "In Freeport alone we have 47 members of the Poitier family, only two we've been able to contact."
That's why he's flying to Freeport Thursday.
"Just to look myself. I've got to find my sister," he said.
He expressed how thankful he was for the resources and prayers from the states. Now as he heads to the worst of the devastation, he's hopeful he'll find his sister, some answers and some relief
"I have a feeling that I will. I choose to believe that," Poitier said.