A 7.0 earthquake hit. Thousands died as buildings collapsed-- a situation Christa faced as well.
"She had been trapped in a collapsed house. A wall had collapsed. They, the men in the village had been able to dig her out by hand," Taylor Brelsford said.
The Brelsford's showed a photo of the two men they say dug Christa out and took her to get help.
Christa and Julian's spirits remained high until a few hours later.
"Things are kind of serious. Christa's not doing so great. Call the medevac company right away if you can," Taylor read from another e-mail.
They made frantic phone calls to Sen. Mark Begich's office and the State Department. Christa could get home on a plane if she could find a way to the airport through all the rubble.
"Almost at the same time we got a quick little note from a doctor at the camp saying he was the U.S. physician. He was there, he had just put Julian and Christa on an U.S. Army ambulance," Taylor said.
"All of a sudden once they're in the hands of an Army team we were enormously relieved, just hugely relieved," he said.
That relief came from knowing their children are safe after witnessing the worst from nature but the best from their fellow man.
"We will be loyal for life to people who've taken care of a stranger in such a desperate moment," Taylor said.
The Brelsfords think they'll head to Miami Thursday to be with Christa.
Julian is still in Haiti helping.
He isn't expected back into the United States for a few days.
Alaskan relief agencies are sending volunteers and money to Haiti just one day after the massive quake.
Volunteers are ready to go and are calling on Alaskans to help.
It's one of the poorest countries in the world and certainly unequipped to deal with anything like this.
Thousands are presumed dead, thousands more are homeless, and it's just the beginning of what's expected to be a major relief effort.
The Alaska Red Cross is on standby.
"We've been coordinating this morning with our national headquarters office," said Alaska Red Cross Executive Director Michelle Houlihan.
For now all they can do it talk about the devastation.
"The system within the International Red Cross is a very intricate system and so, since this is an international relief effort they are going to be drawing upon resources throughout the world," Houlihan explained.
Relief workers are already in the disaster-torn country, and in the coming days, at least one Alaska disaster relief specialist will join them.
Kelly Hurd will be the first to go. She went to the mudslide in Juneau last November, assisted during the Homer fires this summer, and she helped with relief efforts in Samoa after a tsunami washed over the country.
"It doesn't matter how far the distance is, when the needs are met, we will be there to assist our brothers wherever we find them in the world. This would be a good time to show how much we care," said Maj. Doug Tollerud, the divisional commander for the Salvation Army.
Half a world away from the disaster, the Alaska Salvation Army is asking for money donations.
"We will not be asking for clothes or food to send the five to six thousand miles down to Haiti. The shipping would be a nightmare as well as other logistical services needed for that type of recovery," Tollerud said.
The logistics are on the mind of Gen. Douglas Fraser, who formerly worked on Elmendorf Air Force Base, and is now leading the military's relief efforts from Miami.
His teams are assessing damage and are tasked to help rebuild the capital city.
"He's been put in charge of ensuring that all of the military and U.S. government assistance to Haiti," said Robert Appin, spokesperson for the Southern Command.
Alaskan-owned Lynden Air Cargo is also pitching in.
Company President Judy McKenzie says the plane will be traveling back and forth with relief aid to Haiti.
McKenzie says Lynden has helped with relief efforts across the world and this is no different.
The national Red Cross is trying to raise $1 million to support their effort in Haiti.
The Salvation Army already pledged $50,000, but is asking for more donations from Alaskans.
You can donate online at both the Alaska Salvation Army and the Alaska Red Cross.
Contact Ashton Goodell at agoodell@ktuu.com and Rebecca Palsha at rpalsha@ktuu.com
