Woman drives 600 miles to rescue family after Typhoon Haiyan devastatesher hometown

Gina Sculley drove 600 miles in a rented van and brought back 27 family members and friends from a devastated village south of Tacloban, Philippines. In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, Regina Balosca Sculley couldn’t bear another day agonizing over her family’s safety. Sculley courageously packed a rental van and drove 600 miles to her hometown of the MacArthur in Leyte province in the Philippines to retrieve eight members of her storm-torn family.

Sculley had a roughly two-day drive from Angeles City, which is north of Manila. The arduous journey ended with a tearful reunion. “I saw my mom and I just cried and I hugged her,” Sculley, 33, told the Daily News. “I just thought they were all gone.” During her visit, she distributed supplies to the residents of the town. She filled the van with 45 gallons of water, 110 pounds of rice, and cash, she said.

“There were a lot of kids begging for food,” she said."

Sculley has planned to pick up eight family members in her hometown, but managed to cram in more people who lost homes in the wake of the typhoon. Sculley drove back from the storm-ravaged province with 27 people in tow. The van was filled to the brim with beleaguered survivors, she said.

“We looked like Sardines,” said Sculley. “We were so packed. That’s what I feel when we were in the van.”