The parents of four missing Lynn University college students are still holding out hope that their children, who were in Hotel Montana in Port-au-Prince, Haiti when the 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit on January 12, are alive, and are pleading with the United States government to do more to search for them in the rubble. Two faculty members are also missing.
“This is a nightmare. This is a living nightmare,” Len Gengel said Monday to MSNBC. Gengel’s daughter, Brittany, is one of the missing students from Lynn University in Deerfield, Fla who decided to spend their winter break helping the poor in Haiti.
“As parents of people that are buried in that rubble, we need troops at that hotel. I have pleaded with [President Obama], father-to-father, to please get troops to the Hotel Montana. We need government intervention,” Len Gengel told TODAY’s Meredith Vieira. “The United States of America needs to get to the hotel Montana and get our children – NOW!”
Thousands of American troops are in Haiti helping bring food, water and aid to those left homeless and in danger due to the quake, but the desperate parents are urging for more reinforcements.
Lin and Lenny Crispinelli’s daughter, Stephanie, is also among the missing. They and the Gengels had initially been told that their daughters were found safe, but were soon informed, due to breakdowns of communication, they had received a false report.
Also missing is Courtney Hayes, whose parents are currently in the Dominican Republic searching hospitals for their daughter, and 22 year old Christine Gianacaci.
Lin Crispinelli wants everyone to step into their shoes. “If you can just take a moment and envision what it would be like if it was one of your children, if it was one of your parents and you didn’t know now for six days what their condition was, whether they’re under the rubble, whether they’re hurting, whether they’re waiting for you to come and rescue them.”
To find out how to help the victims of the Haiti earthquake, click here.
(Photo courtesy of Lynn University. Pictured L to R: (front row – sitting) Paul Tyska, Lindsay Doran, Nikki Fantauzzi, Richard Bruno, Christine Gianacaci, Daniela Montealegre, Britney Gengel, Stephanie Crispinelli (back row – standing) Patrick Hartwick, Michael DeMatteo, Courtney Hayes, Julie Prudhomme, Thomas Schloemer and Melissa Elliott)
