As Jeff and Lila Funderburg rode out Hurricane Melissa in their Jamaican villa, whipping wind and pouring rain outside was accompanied by desperate pleas for mercy.

“The kids were screaming. That was heartbreaking,” Lila Funderburg said. “That was the hardest thing. It was just echoing, echoing. And then you could hear the people, ‘Mercy, God, mercy, God, mercy. Give us mercy,’ just echoing as the wind pushes these voices through. And it was nonstop.”

The Funderburgs, who split their time between hard-hit St. Elizabeth Parish in Jamaica, and Streeterville in Chicago, made it through last month’s category 5 storm physically safe but emotionally scarred.

Jeff and Lila Funderburg/Provided

“I have a lot of appreciation for Mother Nature, but to see what she left behind, it’s like, ‘Wow, th

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