Jean-louis Searching For Parents

HEROES star JIMMY JEAN-LOUIS is trying desperately to contact his parents, who have been missing since a powerful earthquake rocked Haiti on Tuesday (12Jan10).

The actor, who was born in the Caribbean country, has learned that his childhood home was destroyed in the massive tremor - but he still has not heard from his elderly parents.

He says, “I have not slept yet. The second house that I grew up in was down, and some relatives have died, from what I have been told. I haven’t been able to reach my parents. I have heard that they are OK, but I do not know what is going on around them.

“I’m trying everyone on their cell phones and on their house phones, my parents’ friends and the people in their neighbourhood, and I have been unable to speak with one person who is close to them.”

The star, who recently returned from Haiti after spending the holidays with his parents, has launched a relief fund for the poverty-stricken nation and is encouraging fans to send money instead of goods, adding: “People should understand that sending donations of items and goods will be difficult right now because we will be bombarded and have no way to distribute them.

“I don’t think people have any idea how terrible this is because of the circumstances on the ground in Haiti and the lack of the infrastructure. There are no roads, and it is going to be extremely difficult for help to reach people.”