29358: Hermantin (comment) Re: 29334" Simidor (comment) Re: 29333: Karshan (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

I first met Michelle Karshan  at Canape Vert Hospital when Marleine Bastien and 
I went to visit a young Haitian American man, a US citizen, mistakenly deported 
to Haiti. He was HIV positive and had developped full blown AIDS.  Since most 
family members had left for the states he was basically left with no care taker 
. Michelle Karshan came forward and  cared for him until he was returned to 
Miami. When we visited him, he was feverish, emaciated and dying. Michelle 
Karshan was right there at his side being the stereotypical bossy, pushy white 
American woman, ordering the medical staff around and demanding that they make 
his last days as pleasant as possible.

I met her again a few years later, when I was approached in Miami, by a mother 
whose son was sent back to Haiti. Again, he was basically on his own and she 
needed to enroll him in a school or program.  I contacted Ms. Karshan via 
e-mail requesting information and she called back immediately. As per the 
mother, Ms. Karshan kept in touch, visiting the son and reporting back to the 
mother. I am not sure about the final resolution of the problem but the 
feedback from the parent was that she and her son were treated with the utmost 
care and respect.

I am making no endorsement of her organization, just stating that when it came 
to repatriated youth ( who are not all kidnappers and drug dealers)  Michelle 
Karshan  was there to fill a gap, meeting a need which should have been 
addressed by government.

Leonie

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