D’Angel chose to ‘ride out the storm’ with family

Dancehall artiste D'Angel said Hurricane Beryl could never separate her from her family as she preferred to be with them than to be stuck overseas.

The entertainer, who was in Canada following her performance at the African Caribbean Music and Stars awards show, said she had to jump on the first flight to be with her family.

"I wouldn't be happy knowing that I'm away and my family is here so I had to just leave Canada a little earlier than expected, because I didn't want to be stuck and not be here for my family," said the singer who is set to perform this weekend in New York. Though she feared that the hurricane might affect her plans to return overseas, she is content with her decision.

"Lucky thing seh mi did always have mi likkle things dem puddung suh mi just add some other things to it like lantern and other items for preparations for a storm. I went by my mother, brought her some stuff and ensure that she's good, then we decided to have everybody come by me. Suh we all watch TV/news, watched the weather as well and everybody have a wonderful time, playing games, picking up mangoes from in the yard and cooking food, because when a rainy time yuh hungry more, enuh," she said with a laugh, noting that this was her son Marco Dean's first real hurricane experience.

In comparison to previous hurricane threats, D'Angel said it seemed Jamaicans took this a little more seriously as certain food items became scarce very soon after the hurricane warnings.

"Mi and mi siblings walk up and down inna Gilbert. Wi had fun inna di storm cause wi neva know betta. As for [Hurricane] Ivan, I was much older so I was a bit more prepared. But with Beryl I prayed for Jamaica and hoped for everyone to be their brother's keeper. When yuh looked at the damages it caused inna certain places - some landslide and places a tear weh, yuh can't tek these natural disasters lightly, suh wi affi pray," said D'Angel.

The Stronger artiste, who has been through her fair share of personal storms, said as the Atlantic hurricane season continues until November 30, she implores all her colleagues, friends and Jamaicans in general to "check up on your loved ones whether or not it's a hurricane season".