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The 9 Best Moments from the One America Appeal’s Concert for Puerto Rico Disaster Relief

Despite what you might be hearing from the President on Twitter, things in Puerto Rico are dire. When Hurricane Irma glanced over the island, the destruction was bad enough, but a few days later the island was completely enveloped by Hurricane Maria, the fifth strongest storm ever to hit the United States. In the wake of the one-two punch, a slow-moving government effort has left thousands of people on the small island without power, food, or clean water. Communications from the island are still spotty. Billions of dollars in damage has been recorded, and the totals are still climbing. Where the destruction visited upon the Gulf Coast of the United States has been largely handled thanks to massive donations from the private sector, the havoc Maria has caused in Puerto Rico has received about one-sixth of the financial support. It’s in the trail of destruction left by these twin disasters that the One America Appeal was kickstarted as an effort to help get relief to every American impacted by these catastrophic storms.

1. ‘Deep From the Heart’ Wants to Make a Difference

In order to help raise money for the victims of Puerto Rico, a number of celebrities have contributed their time and passion to the cause. J.Lo and Mark Anthony threw their own star-studded relief concert, for example. However, perhaps the most surprising effort came in the form of Deep From the Heart: The One America Appeal Concert, a charity event headlined by both musical acts and five very special guests: every living former President of the United States.

FormerPOTUS
flickr.com

2. The Power of Unity Over Division

While current President Tangerine is already considering cutting aid to this ravaged part of the United States behind claims of mismanagement of funds and underhanded actions on the part of Democrats, the five former Presidents of the United States — Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama — have come together to help provide aid to Puerto Rico with the One America Appeal Concert.

3. A Surprise, Megawatt Star

In spite of the fact that five former leaders of the free world had assembled under one roof for the first time in four years, the biggest star of the evening was surprise guest Lady Gaga, who not only managed to rock the stadium, but who also managed to come off looking classier than all five former presidents combined. Beyond her meticulously put together white outfit, the reigning queen of misfits also pledged $1 million to help Puerto Rico.

4. Real Charity

In a world where several charities claim to represent the downtrodden only to turn around and spend most of their charitable donations on themselves, it’s comforting to know that the One America Appeal Concert is donating 100% of the proceeds to the people suffering in Puerto Rico. In other words, the money you donate to the charity will absolutely find its way into some form of aid for those hit by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

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J Art Studio - Puerto Rican flags

5. George W. Steals the Show With an Unheard Joke

If there’s anyone who might actually be slightly tickled by a Trump presidency, it’s former President George W. Bush, a man who has seen one heck of a polish put on his legacy since November 16. Dubya has always been charming, and since a colossal nitwit has happily overshadowed all the penny-ante nonsense of W’s administration, those qualities are allowed to shine. In short, George W. is way cooler post-presidency, and everyone is acknowledging it, even former President Barack Obama, who couldn’t keep it together as Dubya whispered jokes in his ear throughout President Bill Clinton’s speech about something or other.

6. The Best Mental Image Ever

It’s a real shame that President George H.W. Bush the Elder didn’t get his Courtney Cox-Bruce Springsteen moment, because that would have probably melted the internet. You think 41 really knows all the words to “Poker Face”? Because that’s a karaoke performance I’d pay admission to see.

7. Honoring the First Responders

At one point during the One America Appeal Concert, the orchestrators took a moment to honor those people who charge into the fray without thought for themselves. About 200 first responders were mentioned at the concert, praised for their bravery, and given a righteous standing ovation by the crowd of thousands. Said honoree Phyllis Wiggins, “It really makes my heart feel good. It really makes me feel like I’m contributing still to society.”

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www.mysanantonio.com

8. Putting the Kibosh on Bipartisanship

Perhaps the most miraculous moments in the concert came during the remarks. Both the former presidents in attendance and the current occupant of the White House took a few moments to speak about the need for joint cooperation in helping the victims in Puerto Rico. Sure, that was to be expected, but what did not happen was any political sniping. No one spoke negatively of the current administration and no one spoke ill of any of the men assembled on stage. In 2017, that little dose of class was a refreshing breath of fresh air.

Shutterstock
Ed-Ni Photo - Shutterstock

9. Efforts Are Still Ongoing

The concert on October 21 wasn’t the beginning or the end of the One America Appeal for Hurricane Relief, which has committed itself to continuing support for the victims in Puerto Rico. Between the initiation of the One America Appeal on September 7 and the beginning of the concert proper, the fundraising effort raked in more than $30 million to help the people in Puerto Rico. An additional $2.6 million has been gathered for the hurricane relief effort since the concert ended. It’s still possible to donate, which means that counter is climbing steadily.


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