British boxer Troy Williamson has spoken of the agonising four days he spent not knowing whether his family in Jamaica had survived Hurricane Melissa, a category five storm that devastated the island and left tens of thousands displaced.

The 34-year-old from Darlington described repeatedly refreshing his phone, desperate for news, as communication lines collapsed across Jamaica following the hurricane’s landfall on 28 October. Williamson’s father, siblings, and extended family were directly in the storm’s path in the coastal town of Black River, St Elizabeth.

“When nobody could get in touch, we had no idea what had happened,” Williamson told BBC Sport. “The worst-case scenario was that they weren’t here anymore.”

Four Days of Silence

For four days, Williamson continued training while fearing the worst, watching images of destruction circulate on social media. Roads were cut off, phone networks failed, and large parts of the island were left without electricity or internet access.

“It felt like a very long time, especially when you saw how bad it was,” he said.

Relief finally came when his father, Gerald Atkinson, managed to connect briefly to a Wi-Fi signal and send a message via Facebook Messenger. While Williamson learned that his family was alive, the scale of the damage soon became clear.

Family Home and Business Destroyed

Hurricane Melissa destroyed the family home and their business, G’s Cool Spot, a well-known sports bar popular with locals and British tourists. The building was reduced to ruins, with its roof caved in and much of the structure washed away.

“It demolished their home and business,” Williamson said. “As it stands, they have nowhere to live. The sports bar is gone. It needs a full rebuild.”

The hurricane killed at least 28 people and impacted an estimated 1.5 million residents, more than half of Jamaica’s population. Recovery efforts are expected to take years, despite international financial assistance worth billions of dollars being pledged to support rebuilding.

Fundraising and Support

Williamson has since launched a fundraising campaign to help his family cover basic needs such as food, clothing, and temporary accommodation. Donations have already begun to arrive, including £1,000 raised through the auction of a signed boxing glove.

His brother plans to travel to Jamaica in December, and Williamson hopes to follow after his upcoming fight.

Career at a Crossroads

Before he can board a plane, Williamson faces one of the biggest fights of his career against Callum Simpson, the unbeaten British, European, and Commonwealth champion. The bout takes place at the First Direct Arena in Leeds and will be broadcast live on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer.

Williamson, a former British light-middleweight champion, admits his professional career has stalled after four defeats in his last six fights. He believes a lack of consistent promotion has hindered his progress.

“I don’t believe I’ve been promoted properly,” he said. “Even when I won the British title, I never had a solid promoter. Being from the North East, I don’t think we get the recognition we deserve.”

Fighting for More Than a Win

Despite the pressure, Williamson says the fight carries deeper meaning. A victory would not only revive his boxing career but also provide financial support critical to rebuilding his family’s life thousands of miles away.

“The whole village and island are basically ruined,” he said. “It’s going to take a long time, but I’d love to go out there after my fight and help however I can.”

As Williamson prepares to step into the ring, he does so carrying the weight of personal loss, resilience, and hope—fighting not just for titles, but for family and recovery.