PHILADELPHIA >> Sitting in Gate A26 at Philadelphia International Airport, Elvira Benoit clutched two tickets to her chest early Wednesday morning as her eyes welled with tears.

Even as the unknown lay ahead, uncertainty had been her companion as she had come to Philadelphia last week to celebrate a granddaughter’s birthday – only to be crushed as Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, where her other daughter and granddaughter remained. Benoit, who has trying to get back since the storm hit, was on standby – with a prayer that she’d get through.

American Airlines delivered, thanks in part to Operation Puerto Rico Strong. Benoit was one of about 160 passengers to board Flight 2028 at Philly International, headed to San Juan with 19,000 pounds of supplies for the devastated island.

“We have a long, rich history of having a presence in the San Juan airport so we know that we have a lot of team members and family members affected,” said Justin Franco, of American Airlines corporate communications. “We’re very proud to be behind this.”

With reports of widespread power outages that are expected to last months, food supplies dwindling and gas lines stretching for miles in Puerto Rico, air traffic to and from the island has been sporadic, with many cancellations.

American Airlines launched Operation Puerto Rico Strong, allowing its employees worldwide to ship two boxes totalling 150 pounds or new generators up to 200 pounds for free while also offering $99 cabin tickets for flights to San Juan with plans to add more as the FAA allows.

“It is an island,” Franco said. “It’s hard to get things in and out so if we can do it by air, that’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we do.”

They also are directing community members to donate to the American Red Cross to help at this time.

Waiting at the Philadelphia airport Wednesday morning, Christian Robles had spent days trying to get to Puerto Rico.

Driving from Fargo, N.D. where he lives, to Minneapolis, he shuffled flights from there to Chicago, where he was stranded due to flight cancellations before being rerouted to Philadelphia. He also was on board this morning’s flight to San Juan.

“My family lives in Las Piedras, Puerto Rico,” he said. “I’m just trying to get home to see how they are and give them some help. I haven’t talked to them since Wednesday. “My aunt told me that everything was destroyed. One of the houses in front of us just went out completely ... They just told me they need batteries, water and supplies and I’m bringing all that home.”

Ever since he received text messages from his best friends and his 12-year-old cousin in the midst of Hurricane Maria a week ago, he was compelled to go and help.

“All of them texted me ... ‘This is scary, the house is shaking, we just want to get out of here,’” Robles said. “When I say house shaking, it’s a hard house of cement and block. When I saw that, I had to get home.”

Alberto Rodriguez was returning to Puerto Rico with his mother after a vacation .

“We’re going to Puerto Rico to see my brother, my dear brother is there,” he said. “He is alone.”

Anticipating a difficult time as the roof of his house was damaged and little to no communication service, their concern remained with 25-year-old Eriberto.

“She is very scared,” Rodriguez said of his mother. “We can’t communicate with him. I know he is fine but he’s alone.”

Anyone with loved ones there was fraught with worry during the storm.

“It was brutal,” Katy Benoit said. “I would say that’s the worst event that’s ever happened to Puerto Rico. I’ve been here for three years and it’s devastating for me, watching my sister and my niece being there by themselves while my mom’s here. It’s awful.”

Benoit took her mom and her aunt, Dorothy, to the Philadelphia airport Wednesday.

“My mom, the first two days, was devastated, it was crazy, her watching her house, her watching my sister,” she said.

She showed videos from her phone of unrelenting rain pummeling the wooden wall of their outside patio, where beams from the roof collapsed as sheets of water covered the patio floor and palm trees mirrored spinning brushes in a car wash.

Benoit’s mom and aunt had come to Philadelphia to celebrate the second birthday of her daughter on Sept. 21, but became consumed by events back home.

Benoit said she’s been talking to her sister and her cousins every day.

She said they’ve told them, “Everything is good, there’s no power whatsoever, their food is kind of running (out), the gas is like a nightmare to get ... It’s the longest lines ... like three, four, even seven hours waiting in line to get some gas for the car.”

Eduardo Zuniga of Philadelphia was one of a seven-member team of officers from the Salvation Army headed to San Juan Wednesday.

Having responded to 9/11 and post-Hurricane Andrew Florida, he was concerned about what’s ahead for Puerto Rico.

“I do believe it’s going to get a little worse before it gets any better because if supplies don’t get out there soon, people are going to get desperate,” he said as he asked for monetary donations to the Salvation Army for their Maria relief efforts.

Zuniga had spoken to a colleague in charge of Salvation Army’s emergency disasters and he was told the situation is dire.

“I’m just privileged to be able to go and help,” he said. “When you have the opportunity to help, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”

He himself has personal connections there, having lived in Puerto Rico for eight years.

“Going back, it’s going to be bittersweet in a sense but I’m glad that I’m ready to go,” Zuniga said. “I do have family members out there as well ... One of them is homeless right now, her house was totally devastated ... One of the first things on my list to do is to find her.”

Waiting for her mom and aunt to board the plane, Katy Benoit worried about what faced them in the days and months ahead.

“My biggest concern is not being able to communicate with my mom as often as I usually do,” she said. “I don’t know if they have enough food. My mom is taking plenty ... (and) I’m going to send them anyway within the next couple of days.”

Benoit thought about what Maria had done to Puerto Rico.

“It was gorgeous,” Benoit paused. “It was gorgeous, but now it’s all broken in pieces.”

Despite the despair, she clenched onto her hope that her beloved island would emerge, resplendent with the beauty of its past.

“The people are the strongest people that you could ever meet, they’re fierce,” Benoit said. “They don’t just sit back and just wait for things to happen. They make things happen.

“They’re big on getting themselves united and working together when things like this happen,” she explained. “They help each other. My hope is .. that they can get out of this nightmare ASAP and Puerto Rico is going to be as beautiful as it’s always been.”