Tribute to Some of the Victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico

A study found that more than 4,600 people died as a result of Hurricane Maria. Here are just a few of their stories:

74-year-old Lorraine Montenegro was a notable Bronx activist of Puerto Rican descent. She and her mother founded a social service agency in the Bronx. She was in Puerto Rico for a two-week vacation in September and was able to ride out Hurricane Irma. But her health turned suddenly. Because airports were shut down, she wasn’t able to return home before Maria hit — she was admitted to the hospital and passed away there.

86-year-old Myrna Ramírez Morales was born in Maunabo, in the eastern side of the island. Her family says she wanted to be a nurse, but got married after high school and went on to raise three sons. Still Myrna took care of her community — she watched over sock children and helped older neighborhoods whose health failed. She was suffering from advanced staged of pulmonary fibrosis and was dependent on an oxygen device that required electricity. When her home lost power, family took her to the hospital, they could only offer Myrna an outlet in the waiting room. She eventually passed away surrounded by her family on December 23.

The public and media have criticized Puerto Rico’s government who placed hurricane Maria’s official death toll at 64. Many are demanding transparency on why the estimate was so low.