Feature Story by Kirby Joslyn (Sports Information Intern)

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Freshman defensive end and Florida native Judes Amilcar was shocked when he heard the first news about the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. “No one was expecting it. No one had time to prepare for it,” says Amilcar, who has relatives living in Haiti.

Junior cornerback Bobson Mercier, also from Florida, didn't think much of the brief headlines he saw scrolling across the bottom of the ticker when he was watching television: “I was watching CNN randomly and when I saw that there was an earthquake in Haiti. Usually it never seems like a big deal because there's always some kind of tumult there.” Mercier kept watching. “When I saw the Presidential Palace was destroyed, I knew something was wrong.”

Both players called home and found out the news. Family members living in Haiti were in the center of the devastation.

Amilcar's uncle and his family managed to escape the worst of the danger.

Mercier's family, who live in Port-au-Prince, are among the hundreds of thousands of now homeless Haitians whose houses had been leveled by the 7.0 quake. He also has a cousin who has not yet been located. His cousin was on shift as a nurse in a Port-au-Prince hospital when the earthquake hit. 

Campus relief efforts have been put in place since the earthquake struck January 12th. Mercier, who is involved with Haiti Connection and the Newman Catholic Center, has set up a medical supply donation box and is working on a medical supply drive through the Athletic Department. He is collecting things like band-aids, gauze pads, rubbing alcohol and Tylenol. “Things that you and I wouldn't think are hard to get, like Tylenol, they don't have access to,” says Mercier.

Both Mercier and Amilcar say that donating medical supplies is the best way to help right now.

The men are optimistic, though. They know how strong Haiti can be. “As devastated as we may be, I think we will bounce back,” says Mercier.

Amilcar is a freshman from Boca Raton, Fla., who redshirted the 2009 season. His major is currently undecided. Mercier is a redshirt junior from Lehigh Acres, Fla., who played in 11 games in 2000 making 18 tackles with one interception. He is majoring in physical education.

For more information on who to help in the Haitian Relief efforts visit the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org/