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Bahamian relatives of the iconic actor Sidney Poitier who still reside in the island nation have been reported missing after the devastation left in the wake of Hurricane Dorian last week.
Poitier’s nephew, Jeffrey Poitier, 66, said on Thursday that more than 23 of the family’s members, including his sister, Barbara and his adult children are among those that are missing in Freeport, Bahamas, the Daily Mail reports.
READ MORE: Rihanna vows to send aid to the Bahamas after ‘catastrophic damage’ from Hurricane Dorian
“We still couldn’t find anyone, nor have we heard from them,” Jeffrey said. “We are still looking for and waiting for them to appear soon. It has us all worried.
‘We are trying to reach out to them using every means available to us but we are not hearing anything,” he added. “We are deeply worried.’”
Jefferey, who is also an actor, spends time in both New Orleans and in the Bahamas on Cat Island, said that he plans to fly to Freeport via helicopter to search for his sister. He already had plans to visit the island to attend his uncle, Reginald Poitier’s funeral, who died last month.
‘It’s been very discouraging, very disappointing and very stressful for all of us here in the Americas,” Jeffrey said. “It is not easy having to wait for news to find out what happened to your family. I am very worried.”
The Category 5 hurricane has killed at least 46 people so far and around 70,000 have been affected and are in need of “life-saving assistance.”
READ MORE: Dorian slams Bahamas with record-setting force, eyes Florida
Bahamian roots
The acclaimed actor and director was born in 1927 in Miami to Bahamian parents who owned a farm on Cat Island.
Today, more than 500 Bahamians belong to the extended family of Poitier, according to Jeffery. His family member, Kimberly Poitier, who lives in Tampa, Florida, has also been looking for relatives.
During her search, she received an update that her cousins had escaped Freeport on a boat. One of the members were named Barbara, but unfortunately it wasn’t Jeffry’s sister after he saw a photo of the woman.
Jeffrey said he’s waiting on any updates regarding his family.
‘I am worried and waiting for news, any news will do for now. I need to know,” he said.
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