Be Like Brit Foundation Orphanage In Haiti Still Intact After Deadly Earthquake
(CBS) -- The Be Like Brit Foundation orphanage in Haiti that was built as a tribute to Britney Gengel, a Massachusetts college student who died in 2010 while on a service trip to the country, is still structurally intact after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the island Saturday morning.
The 19-year-old Gengel was killed visiting Haiti back in 2010 as part of a missionary team when a massive earthquake killed around 300,000 people.
The facility is now run by Britney's father, Len Gengel. On Saturday night, Len shared a video of him and the 66 students at the orphanage, giving thanks for their good fortune that the building was not damaged severely.
"We stand here very safe and very sound," Len says in the video.
At the end of the video, the students sang "Hallelujah".
Update from Brit's Home on the 7.2 magnitude earthquake
Posted by Be Like Brit on Saturday, August 14, 2021
According to CBS News, the earthquake on Saturday has killed over 300 people.
Some of those kids were inside just after 8:30 a.m. this morning when the earthquake hit, and were quickly escorted to safety.
Our kids are doing okay but it was quite the shocking morning. Brit's Home was the first earthquake proof building after the 2010 quake. Thank you everyone for all of your love and support! https://t.co/QfDZSyqrsG #haitiearthquake #haiti pic.twitter.com/J7zKxsACYl
— Be Like Brit (@BeLikeBrit) August 14, 2021
One of her last text messages indicated she'd love to set up an orphanage on the island. So her dad led the effort to make that happen after her death, and a Waltham company helped design and build it.
"We built the first earthquake-proof structure in Haiti, post-earthquake [of 2010]," Len told WBZ-TV on Saturday. "How could I adopt and bring in 66 children and put them in a home that was going to fall down?"
Len added that the building shook like it was "riding a wave".
The orphanage is about 30 miles from the epicenter of Saturday's earthquake.