By: Betsy Robertson

Millie Baquero has been a Red Cross volunteer in the Northwest Washington chapter for about three years. She would typically be responding to local home fires as part of the chapter Disaster Action Team, but this week, following historic flooding in her community, she is working at a Red Cross shelter, caring for evacuees.

“My heart breaks for everyone,” she said. “I feel it’s my mission to embrace my strength and share it with others.”

Raul, his family members, and their dog are among those she is supporting, in more ways than one. Millie is bilingual in English and Spanish, making her uniquely positioned to ensure everyone at the shelter has their needs met. She’s also able to listen to every heartbreaking story. 

“As long as I can show up, without tears, I can get through the day with love and support for others,” she shared. “I feel I’m doing what the lord asked of me, following my mission.”

With the help of her translation, we learned that Raul’s family was told by the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department when it was time to evacuate. 

“We were all scared. There was a lot of crying,” Millie translated on his behalf.

The family was directed to the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) shelter at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA. That’s where they have been staying for the last few days.

Millie translated the thanks his family shared for the care they have received. He said, “They’re (Red Cross volunteers) doing a great job checking on us, making sure we are sleeping well.”

There is also an undeniable shadow of loss hovering in the background.

“We’ve lost everything,” another evacuee, Maria, said as she hugged her dog, Chloe. “There is still three feet of water in our house. We have no beds to go home to, no clothes, nothing.”  

We’re “crying on the inside,” Raul agreed. 

The two evacuees are from different families. Families who have crossed paths in the past, at community events or parties. Today, their relationship has evolved into something more. Today, they consider themselves part of one big family, a “family of support” that has experienced something tragic, who will begin the journey of recovery together.