Bopp ’11 Found His Own Way to Help Earthquake Victims

During his five month stay in Haiti, Jonathan Bopp ’11 witnessed unbelievable tragedy and heartbreak. But he also witnessed unforgettable courage and humanity.

When Bopp, a political science major from Hingham, Mass., heard news of the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan. 12, he immediately began looking into ways to help. After days of searching for a medical group to travel with but encountering cumbersome red tape, Bopp, a trained emergency medical technician with a passion for social justice, thought about going to Haiti independently.

Bopp called Denise Schaeffer, associate professor of political science, for advice. Schaeffer, who had become Bopp’s mentor over his years at Holy Cross, invited him to her house where Bopp told her about his idea to go to Haiti. Together, they considered the risks and discussed strategies and precautions. Finally, they planned Bopp’s trip, purchasing a one-way ticket to the Dominican Republic and medical supplies from a local pharmacy.

Within days, he was on his way with the intention of taking a leave of absence from Holy Cross for the spring semester to help the earthquake-ravaged country in any way he could.

Once he arrived in Santo Domingo, Bopp met other relief workers from various countries, and got a ride across the border into Haiti.  After arriving in Port Au Prince he began working with members of Doctors of the World, a European non-governmental organization, to build a free clinic. Daily, he dealt with the challenges of securing clean water, transport, generators, and medical supplies. He also worked on relief projects with various organizations including Partners in Health, One By One, and Catholic Relief Services. For a few months, Bopp even worked in a relief effort with actor Sean Penn, helping to relocate displaced families in anticipation of the impending rainy season.

In Haiti, Bopp saw “so many people suffering” and became frustrated at what seemed to be the lack of “real long-term solutions” for the earthquake victims. But despite the heartbreak in his voice as he recalled his time in Haiti, he also experienced incredibly rewarding moments.

Once, when the Haitian government closed a free clinic that he worked for because it was taking money away from private clinics, Bopp spent weeks searching for a prosthetic leg for one of his patients, Rebecca.

Rebecca’s leg was amputated due to injuries sustained in the earthquake and had been living in the same clinic as Bopp for the past two months while she recovered and adjusted to life without a leg. Bopp knew Rebecca would need a prosthetic to stay alive when she was forced back into the devastated city. When he finally found a prosthetic leg for Rebecca from a group of Italian doctors, he said it was one of the most fulfilling moments of his time in Haiti.

At Holy Cross, Bopp is involved with the Mock Trial team, Christian Life Community, and the club lacrosse team, but says that the best part of his Holy Cross experience is the relationship students can build with professors here. “Because Holy Cross is so small,” Bopp says, “you can develop a relationship with your professors. Professor Schaeffer appreciated [why I wanted to go to Haiti] … I would not have done this without her.”

Looking back on his experience in Haiti, which was rife with both frustrations and successes, Bopp said he would do it all again: “I just packed up and went, but I am so glad I did.”

By Rachel Salemme ’12

Pictured: Jonathan Bopp ’11 holds a girl who was discovered beneath a collapsed structure following the earthquake in Haiti in January. He spent five months in Haiti helping survivors of the quake.

Read more about alumni making a difference in Haiti in the Winter 2011 issue of Holy Cross Magazine, available online after Dec. 17, 2010 at holycross.edu/magazine.