BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox boards the plane inside the hangar at Boston Logan Airport during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox speaks with the media inside the hangar at Boston Logan Airport during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox inspects the plane inside the hangar at Boston Logan Airport during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox enters the hangar at Boston Logan Airport during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Boston Mayor Marty Walsh talks with a pilot in the cockpit en route during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Marty Walsh
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox boards the plan inside the hangar at Boston Logan Airport during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***Rick Porcello
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: The wing of a plane is shown as it takes off from Boston during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox reacts on the plane en route during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox talks with the pilots in the cockpit on the plane en route during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 30: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox stows his bag on the plane en route during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rick Porcello
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox helps unload boxes off of the plane during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox greets Rick Porcello #22, Chris Sale #41, and Christian Vazquez #7 as he exits the plane during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora; Rick Porcello; Chris Sale; Christian Vazquez
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox is hugged by his daughter Camila during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***Alex Cora
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from the car during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***Chris Sale
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox looks on from inside the car during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***Rick Porcello
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: The sign for Caguas is shown during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox reacts with his mother as he arrives in Caguas during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***Alex Cora
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Mayor of Caguas William Miranda Torres presents a gift to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, Boston Red Sox President & CEO Sam Kennedy, and Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** William Miranda Torres; Alex Cora; Sam Kennedy; Marty Walsh
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox speaks during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: A young fan receives a new baseball glove from during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Food supplies are distributed to residents during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Christian Vazquez #7 of the Boston Red Sox distributes baseball equipment during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Christian Vazquez
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Young fans inspect their new baseball gloves during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Boston Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy distributes food to residents during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Sam Kennedy
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox distributes baseball equipment during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Fans look on during a check presentation ceremony during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Boston Red Sox employees board the return plane home during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – JANUARY 30: Manager Alex Cora of the Boston Red Sox poses for a portrait on the baseball field during a Boston Red Sox hurricane relief trip from Boston, Massachusetts to Caguas, Puerto Rico on January 30, 2018 . (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alex Cora
Last week, the Boston Red Sox, Manager Alex Cora, JetBlue, and City of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh conducted a relief trip to Puerto Rico, bringing one of several JetBlue cargo freights to the island and delivering nearly 10 tons of supplies to aid Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.
The group, which included Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello, Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy, and Red Sox Assistant General Manager Eddie Romero, delivered a JetBlue plane filled with essentials such as medical supplies and vaccines, water filtration systems, first aid kits, flashlights, diapers, and food for distribution to areas in need throughout the island.
Upon arrival at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, the plane was met by Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez, Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló, and Caguas Mayor William Miranda Marin. The group then made a trip to the city of Caguas, Cora’s hometown, located 16 miles south of San Juan. In Caguas, food, water, and supplies were given out to nearly 300 families.
I was along for the journey from beginning to end. I never thought I’d be in a situation where I would fly down and back to Puerto Rico in one day, but that’s what we did. This was a great cause championed by Cora and put into action by the Red Sox.
It was neat to have full access to Alex throughout the day, and while I got some unique moments, as I look back on this take I think I could have done a better job in gathering more images that show a sense of place. We were only on the ground for 3 hours, so time was short in relation to the list of “must-have” shots I needed to get, but still, this is something to keep in mind for next time!
Great work to everyone in the Boston Red Sox front office in making this incredible trip happen.