Victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico arrived in New Jersey Wednesday on the first commercial flight off the island that landed in Newark.

The island was devastated by the storm. About 97 percent of the territory is without power and 3.5 million residents do not have running water.

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New Jersey family members met many of their loved ones at Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport.

“This was the mission, to get them back here,” says Jose Rodriguez, whose parents finally arrived in New Jersey.

Rodriguez says that his parents, Angel and Carmen, were living in a house without a roof since the storm blew through. He says that they were drinking water from a nearby creek.

Jorge Ruiz welcomed home his 18-year old son to New Jersey. He says that he is happy his son is with him now, but says that watching the chaos in Puerto Rico hasn’t been easy.

“It’s total devastation. I went through [hurricanes] Hugo, George, but it’s nothing like this,” he says.

Cargo flights with food and water are making it to the island. United Airlines sent 15,000 pounds of food on Saturday.

President Donald Trump is expected to visit the island next week.