On the Ground: Loyola Alumnus Documents Melissa Relief Efforts

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica Oct. 28 as a category-five storm, rumored to be one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in history, The Associated Press reported. Loyola alumni Mike Zingg was on the ground within 72 hours after he received a request for disaster response media coverage.

Zingg said after he had worked with Freshwater Project International, a non-profit organization devoted to supporting water, sanitation and hygiene projects in Malawi, he received the offer to continue his media coverage in Jamaica.

“It’s been a bit of a struggle as I had to move a lot of shoots, but we got it done and got out here on a moment’s notice,” Zingg said. “It looks like I’m going to be here through mid-November at this point.” 

As a graduate of Loyola’s School of Communication, Zingg is currently serving as a photographer and videographer with Heart to Heart International (HHI), a medical relief nonprofit which has deployed teams to Jamaica to provide supplies, medicine and mobile health clinics. 

On Oct. 30, HHI sent an assessment team to areas in Jamaica’s Montego Bay. 

“We were just going out with local drivers to show up and see what’s going on,” Zingg said. “Such as how health, supplies, houses and infrastructure systems are being impacted.”

According to communication from HHI, the organization has distributed nearly 30,000 hygiene kits, medicines and personal protective equipment across some of Jamaica’s hardest-hit areas. 

Zingg, who has run a freelance photography and production business since 2017, said documenting these missions combines both sides of his career — creativity and service. 

“Working on a team for a better cause and being able to make a difference with the camera that I hold in my hands is a really powerful feeling,” Zingg said. “It’s really cool to be able to produce content that leads to our donors donating funds that could potentially save lives.”

While Zingg finds fulfillment in his creative business in Kansas City, he said documenting Hurricane Melissa is vastly more rewarding and impactful. He expressed feeling a sense of purpose in doing something bigger than himself and hopes to continue this kind of work.

Zingg’s journey began in Loyola classrooms, where he studied advertising and public relations. He said his media pitching and ethics courses directly shaped how he approaches humanitarian storytelling. 

“I never thought I’d use this situation so that I can refer back to class notes and be able to use it the way that I do now,” Zingg said. 

Associate professor of public relations and digital media David Kamerer said hearing how his teachings are being applied in the field was a gratifying feeling which rarely happens. 

“One of the things I try to emphasize across my classes is that you have to learn to be fearless,” Kamerer said. “You have to put away all of those feelings of doubt, insecurity or inexperience and jump in and go for it.”

Kamerer said Loyola’s communication curriculum is built to prepare students for both professional success and social impact. 

“Loyola students have hearts to serve,” Kamerer said. “And when they use their communication skills for the greater good, that’s when our mission — to be a person for others — comes to life.” 

Zingg said the experience of covering natural disasters has helped him to carefully balance urgency and coverage with ethics. 

“I am very lucky that I have a team that is less focused on the media,” Zingg said. “There are moments when I put the camera down or keep it by my side. Asking permission, respecting boundaries, and knowing when not to shoot — that’s all part of it.”

Zingg said he’s been cautious about how his footage represents affected communities, especially as international outlets begin to cover Hurricane Melissa.

“I’ve seen a lot of reporting that focuses more on clickbait than the real situation,” Zingg said. “I think the initial effect of the storm, and the disaster was sensationalized.”

Since arriving in Kingston, Zingg and his team have traveled across the island to assess damage and coordinate relief efforts. He said there were scenes of collapsed car roofs, destroyed neighborhoods and devastated health centers — in Montego Bay, only 13 of 22 clinics remain functional. 

“People have nothing left,” Zingg said. “Despite everything that happened, the resilience of people here and the ability to kind of smile through the pain has been really amazing to see.”

Zingg said when he met Lennox Wallace, a local parish manager for St. James Public Health Services, he heard how different staff members had lost their homes and belongings, but continue to work despite having nothing to come home to. 

“They’re working overtime 16-hour days, seven days a week and doing as much as they can,” Zingg said. “There were nearly 300 people at one of the remaining clinics in Montego Bay lined up in the morning and getting all of those people processed at once was something that really stuck with me.”

Kamerer said Zingg’s work shows the kind of real-world impact Loyola encourages its students to pursue even before they graduate. 

“Students often think about real life as something after Loyola but real life is right now,” Kamerer said. “The lessons you’re learning aren’t for later, they’re for now so act accordingly.”

For Zingg, he said the lesson is simple: use what you have to make a difference. 

“One of my best friends has a tattoo that says ‘Just do more,’” Zingg said. “There’s 150 tracks you can take in this life, so ask yourself what can you do that serves the community instead of yourself. Money will come and go, but helping others stays with you forever.”

HHI’s Hurricane Melissa response continues with ongoing fundraising and deployment efforts. 

“We have the ability to stay in the country for two weeks and even up to a year if our donations allow us to get that far,” Zingg said.
Zingg’s coverage of the recovery is featured on the organization’s website. To support the response or view Zingg’s work, visit hearttoheart.org/hurricane-melissa-response.