I begged my parents not to go on their Holland America cruise. Now their ship is stranded at sea - and it's unclear when they can return to land.
His parents decide to go forward with the cruise despite the coronavirus.
"At the time of the decision, many in the nation's leadership were indicating that this virus would not be as large of a problem as we've now come to experience. President Trump was downplaying it. My parents contacted the cruise line (Holland America), but because there were no travel advisories or restrictions in place at the time, they could not cancel without losing their money. Those restrictions wouldn't occur for almost two weeks after they had left, well after most of NYC was already shutting down.
"My parents initially booked this cruise a few years ago. South America had been on their travel list for some time. [Then] my mom discovered that she had to have double knee replacements done, so they had to put it off until this year. As a means of celebrating the success of that surgery, they had rebooked this trip.
"The cruise was to be about 30 days in length. They flew to Buenos Aires, where the cruise departed from, and would then sail down the length of the South American coast to Cape Horn, and then up the west coast, through the Panama Canal, and on to a few island destinations before ending in Fort Lauderdale on April 7. I saw many in Florida's government and local media say that this ship was never meant to dock in Florida, which is a patently false talking point that's being circulated to make it look like the cruise ship was catching Florida off guard. While some individuals were to end their part of the cruise in Chile, most passengers had booked the entire length of the cruise that terminated in Florida. I have the itinerary and invoice to prove this."
Brian was 'a bit nervous' the day his family left.
"It really wasn't until the second week that they were gone that things back here in the US went sideways.
"At that time, their cruise mostly continued as planned; in fact, upon landing in Buenos Aires, the airport and city were mostly business as usual and they said there was barely a mention of the pandemic in local news.
"Around mid-March, NYC began spiking in cases, the city started to lock down, and people began to panic shop. It was hard to convey to my parents just how quickly things were devolving here, and it wouldn't be until around March 15 that Holland America would decide to terminate their cruise two weeks early thousands of miles away from home. This is when reality really set in for all of us. The seriousness of the situation was unavoidable.
Then the sickness began.
"In the days that followed their departure from Chile, several guests and crew reported flu-like symptoms to the ship's medical team. Almost immediately, any remaining freedoms or reminders of a cruise experience were erased as guests and crew alike were quarantined to their rooms. They were not allowed to leave or have time outside, and all meals were brought to them. This is when the panic for our family, and many other families, began to peak.
"As the ship sailed north, it was decided that a sister ship in Holland America's fleet, the MS Rotterdam, would sail south to meet the Zaandam and provide necessary medical supplies, COVID-19 tests, and support to those in need. The ships ultimately met up around March 22, and several doctors and nurses boarded the Zaandam to help the growing number of sick individuals. It wouldn't be until two days later that we learned four people had passed away.
"Back at home, I was in constant communication with my siblings. We were mad that they went, we were scared that they weren't home, and we were ready to take action to get them back safely. We immediately began calling any politician or media outlet that would listen to us and get more attention to their story.
Rescue efforts begin
"This past weekend, shortly after the news of the deaths, Holland America began its humanitarian rescue efforts in full force. They began separating the more at-risk passengers and evacuating them to the Rotterdam. My aunt Maureen was evacuated first on Friday evening. She had spent a number of days alone in a room with no access to fresh air. Being extremely hard of hearing, this was especially taxing on her, as it would be for even the healthiest of individuals. Her arrival on the other ship brought at least some relief.
"My parents were evacuated by lifeboat the next morning. After passing a health questionnaire and temperature check, they were cleared to join my aunt. Though they would all be quarantined once again, a sense of some safety returned, and Maureen slept soundly for the first time in days."
Brian's reaction to social media
"It's actually infuriating. I read the comments that individuals on social media so callously throw about. One woman in Florida said, "They're all fools for going on a cruise, they all get what they deserve!" Can you imagine being the family member of one of those four deceased individuals and reading something like that?
"This past week Florida's own Governor DeSantis referred to the guests being 'dumped' on Florida shores, like they're a wayward ship full of cargo. This callousness from the state's own leader was appalling, especially by one who wouldn't lock down his own state even as his own citizens pleaded. We, as well as countless other families of crew and guests, were left begging anywhere we could — to congressmen and women, to the media, to the Coast Guard, and even foreign affairs offices around the globe.
"I would hope that other countries, including our own, see that this is a humanitarian issue. People are dying. As of today, more doctors had to board the Zaandam with oxygen. This is dire. This is not political."
Facebook helped Brian stay in touch with his stranded parents
"The WiFi on the ships is weak to say the least, so texts and calls don't work well. Also, all three are in their mid-70s and technology is not their first language. We were able to use Facebook messenger to chat, talk, and video with them when signal strength was strong.
"Someone onboard anonymously created a private Facebook group for guests, crew, and families. This proved to be a lifeline to all. We shared updates on rescue efforts and global news, shared politician contact information, began letter writing campaigns, and generally offered support to one another in any way we could.
"My parents are tough people. They raised five crazy kids so they've seen it all. I would never judge anyone if they fell apart emotionally during this saga, but they have not. Both my dad and mom were extremely rational, listened to what the crew and captain and our family said. Likewise, we kept in constant contact with my aunt, keeping her spirits high as best we could.
"To date, March 31, my parents are healthy and show no signs of the virus. The quicker we can get them off the ship and keep it that way, the better."
How Brian's family is dealing with the crisis
"No one is allowed to leave their rooms. I believe at one time, those without windows or access to fresh air were allowed 30 minutes of 'air time.' It sounds prison-like, but the crew is maintaining strict order to keep everyone safe and healthy. All food was served to their rooms three times a day. I did hear that it was delicious, as sad as the circumstances were.
"During and leading up to the evacuation, they had very strict instructions: masks on, one overnight bag only, and one guest room in the elevator at a time as they were led to the rescue boats. They were not to touch anything or anyone.
"I know my parents are stressed, but they are handling it well. To be honest, I think they are more worried about all of us back here at home, especially me living in NYC as they watch the news. My aunt, being totally alone, I would say is far more stressed, and I can't blame her. Isolation takes its toll on the healthiest and strongest of people, and she is a fiercely strong woman.
"At first, I was upset at my parents. I was annoyed because I felt they weren't listening, but I also know that I've done the same when they've asked me not to do something. Maybe this was the sum of how my mom felt all of those years waiting up till the wee hours of the morning for each of her kids to come safely home. I'm not mad anymore. I haven't been in weeks. I just want them home, locked away safely in their New Jersey home, away from the oceans and illness.
"Think of where you were a month ago, and what you honestly thought would transpire in the weeks to come. Did you think you'd be at home 23 hours a day, seven days a week? Did you think we'd be counting national virus deaths by the hundreds and thousands each day? I didn't, and neither did my parents. We need to come together to help one another through this. No more Us. vs. Them. It's Us vs. COVID-19."
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