Tennis player Jesus Perez helps send 1,000 boxes of aid to Venezuela after earthquakes

Jesus Perez grew up in La Guaira, Venezuela, but now calls Omaha home. The Elkhorn tennis player was featured by USTA Nebraska two years ago for National Hispanic Heritage Month and is making headlines once again.

When deadly earthquakes hit Venezuela in June, Perez knew he couldn’t sit back and do nothing.

“Once this happened, me and other Venezuelans living in Omaha for a while decided to find ways to send help,” he said. “This happened in my birth town, a beach town where I was born and raised; very close to my heart. My family barely made it but were OK; some lost their homes.”

A local business owner let Perez and others use his space to drop off donations and promote the effort on social media. They collected nonperishable food, personal hygiene items, diapers, medicine, pet food and more.

Around 1,000 boxes were packed up and sent out to Venezuela. While Perez’s family is safe, he lost close childhood friends.

“They lost their parents, and some lost their own kids,” Perez said. “There are many sad stories. It’s been devastating. This is my hometown, and not being able to be there is very hard.

“Many bodies were counted, but even more have not been found or claimed. My uncle told me it will take years to recover. My school, my neighborhood — everything lost.”

Since August, more than 6,500 people have been reported dead. About 226,700 were injured and thousands remain missing in Venezuela.

At least 32 countries have pledged emergency aid, rescue teams and medical support to Venezuela following the devastating June 24 twin earthquakes.

View additional stories for National Hispanic Heritage Month from across USTA Missouri Valley by clicking here.