A volunteer arrived in Haiti after the earthquake. Now, she runs a Haitian 911.
Stacy Librandi went to Haiti as a volunteer new to disaster relief in 2010. Sixteen years later, she runs the largest and foremost emergency medical ambulance and medevac service in Haiti.
Stacy Librandi, born in San Diego and adopted as a baby, had an unconventional childhood. She quit school and lived like a nomad before marrying and moving to the Bronx, New York. However, her personal life took a turn when a building fire destroyed her apartment, leading her to live out of her car and contemplate her life choices.
In January 2010, an earthquake struck Haiti, prompting Librandi to travel there to offer her help. Initially, she stayed for a week but ended up staying for two weeks and eventually three. Over the years, Librandi has transformed her experiences into a successful emergency medical ambulance and medevac service called HERO, or the Humanitarian Emergency Response Organization.
This organization is the largest and foremost emergency medical service in Haiti and serves as the Haitian 911, providing 24/7 response to anyone who calls. Librandi's journey from a failed marriage, a never-ending schedule of bartending shifts, and an ailing photography business to a globally recognized emergency service is a testament to her resilience, determination, and problem-solving skills.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
