Connecticut Sun star Tina Charles remains in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa tore through the country, making landfall on Monday, October 27.
Charles, 36, was forced to extend her stay on the island where her mother, Angela, was born.
“This country that I call my second home, you know, there’s a lot of devastation,” she said during a Thursday, October 30, appearance on CBS Mornings. “About three quarters of the island is devastated, underwater, especially on the western side, communications have been crippled. There’s families that lost their home, everything that they have, especially in St. Elizabeth, that parish, it’s very gut-wrenching, leaves me emotional, and I plan to do anything that I can to help Jamaica.”
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm, the strongest the nation has ever recorded. The 185 mph winds caused extensive damage, including to the roof of the Sangster International Airport, which remains closed as of Thursday.
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The storm has killed at least 30 people across Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, though the true death toll likely won’t be known for days.
Charles added that she hopes to be able to leave Jamaica on Friday and plans to take her mother with her.
“Right now, my priority is to get to Ansem City, get to my mother, and get to my grandmother’s house, because my mother is on that same flight with me, and I’m not going to leave without her,” she said.
She also used the appearance on CBS Mornings to call on international organizations to lend support to Jamaica.
“It’s going to take international commitment and help get this country back to thriving and where it was, so really praying and hoping that other international communities and countries can come together and help relieve Jamaica and get it back to the beautiful thriving place that it is,” she said.
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Charles, an eight-time WNBA All-Star, has a long history of using her platform to do good in the community, both at home and abroad. In September, she received the WNBA’s Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award for the second time in her career, given annually to the player “who best exemplifies the characteristics of a leader in the community where they work or live,” according to the WNBA’s website.
In 2025, she celebrated placing a 500th Automated External Defibrillator in schools, rec centers and community gathering spots across the United States through her Hopey’s Heart Foundation. She has also helped fund construction of a school in Mali and donated 5,000 pairs of athletic shoes to high school students in Jamaica.
“In every aspect of her game and character, Tina stands as a representation of the ideals and spirit of the Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a release announcing that Charles had won. “Throughout her remarkable career, Tina has consistently used her platform to raise awareness and drive meaningful change. Her dedication to service, advocacy, and giving back to the community reflects the values that define our league. Tina continues to build a legacy that will inspire generations to come.”
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