For days, Bermudians anxiously awaited word from the Honorable D. Neletha Butterfield, M.B.E. JP, who has been residing in Jamaica during the devastating storm that struck earlier this week. Many messages of concern were sent, but communication was nearly impossible as the island struggled with infrastructure shutdowns.
TNN News was able to finally make contact — and Ms. Butterfield was relieved to share that she is alive, safe, and extremely grateful for the prayers coming from Bermuda.
“I would tell you I was very fearful for this one. I can go through a hurricane, but this was something different,” she explained. “It almost felt like a train was coming through the house — squeaking brakes — then starting up again for hours. All you could do was sit there in the darkness and wait for it to go.”
Thankfully, her home remains standing, although several mango trees were lost. Still, she described conditions in Jamaica as a disaster zone.
“The gas stations are closed, the ATMs are down — nothing is functioning right now,” she said while speaking to TNN News from her car as she searched for gas and ice for important medications. “People are lining up at stores trying to get supplies. Bread and other basic foods are gone. They are trying to bring in supplies as much as they can.”
Ms. Butterfield added that she is fortunate to have a support network nearby and friends in the local pharmacy who are safeguarding her medication until conditions stabilize.
• Devastation Across Jamaica
And a Plea for Continued Prayers
Some areas, she said, have been left in ruins — especially St. Elizabeth, Black River and surrounding communities. Ms. Butterfield emphasized that while she is safe, many others have not been so lucky.
“We must continue to pray and lift up those who have been truly devastated — and to those families that have lost loved ones… It’s bad. It’s real bad,” she said, emotion clear in her voice. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
When asked if she considered returning to Bermuda earlier, she shared that she was originally scheduled to come home on the 13th. Now, she’s keeping her bags packed, but leaving remains impossible.
“Even if I wanted to fly out, I couldn’t. The airport is almost demolished.”
Internet access has only begun to return sporadically, which is why many Bermudians were unable to reach her. She thanked those who allowed her to use their phones so she could at least update her grandson and a few others briefly.
“I have nearly 100 messages. I was so sorry I couldn’t respond. But the prayers — they worked. I am safe.”
• Bermuda Stands With You
Ms. Butterfield closed with a message directly to everyone in Bermuda:
“Thank you for your concerns and your prayers. I’m grateful and I’m safe… but let’s not forget those who lost everything.”
As recovery teams continue to work around the clock restoring essential services, Ms. Butterfield remains hopeful that communications and road access will improve within the coming days.
TNN News will continue to monitor her situation and updates from the region.
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