Thousands of people gathered in North Miami on Monday, May 18, for a vibrant celebration of Haitian Flag Day, transforming MOCA Plaza and surrounding areas into a lively showcase of Haitian music, food, dance, and cultural pride.
This year’s festivities were held under the theme “Nou La: Haitian Footprints in America,” honoring the significant contributions of the Haitian community to North Miami and the United States.
During the event, North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme told CBS Miami that this year’s official celebration may be the last one the city can sponsor or participate in. He pointed to a new state law signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in April that places strict limitations on local governments’ involvement in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) activities.
New Law’s Impact
The legislation, titled “Official Actions of Local Governments,” prohibits cities and counties from funding, promoting, or officially supporting DEI-related programs, events, or proclamations. Key provisions of the law include:
- Banning local governments from spending taxpayer money on DEI events, training, or initiatives
- Prohibiting the creation of DEI offices or staff positions
- Preventing preferential treatment based on race, color, gender, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation beyond standard anti-discrimination laws
- Voiding existing local DEI policies starting January 1, 2027
Violations of the law can result in elected officials being removed from office. The law also allows individuals to file civil lawsuits against violators and requires grant recipients to certify that funds will not support DEI activities.
While the new law restricts official government involvement, private celebrations remain completely unaffected. Individuals, businesses, churches, community organizations, and nonprofits can continue organizing cultural events freely without city sponsorship or funding.
The legislation is expected to impact a wide range of cultural observances across Florida, including other heritage months, Pride events, Women’s History Month, and various immigrant community festivals.
This year’s Haitian Flag Day celebration served as both a joyful display of culture and a moment of reflection for many in the Haitian community about the future of officially supported cultural events in the state.
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/792717838_18628778875023307_2233338478062184444_n-1-512x640.jpg)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792717838_18628778875023307_2233338478062184444_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=pVPGBZNRvJkQ7kNvwH7ii3-&_nc_oc=AdpdRIZ8_n5w5F0jfj6EO-LZeqrdBHP8hjtcBS3Vv-fpJwehBwnsC0yKlbbHFYYrJR8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIhFxUfQTLKskD9AeC4WnxL5m2WgQuECCPohQ4Cev2UhxDj3Ao0NCJj_f9rf5IFKQfrZ82t1kvo&oh=00_AQJYpEcNvJ2sh9A0E0mB1-i_pvNfHnYJpq8yCpH6b3NwgQ&oe=6A9D0B1F)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790392498_18628778839023307_7639948884520458504_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=BOjlUdfv1KEQ7kNvwH5VQ42&_nc_oc=Ado0yIl0rvwh4DmZMMPoGbA0DBj8zwJeFm-O_5ri2yartAQVQtfTC8mkyzJPSIz4-EQ&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQK0qZTGbuM52fsl9yuidY8kVvpGa4gFEWwSN059pjE6kl-Y-o8JZEfKSV6-zTKrbLASzM8CyEYJ&oh=00_AQIzu67tmjVqHfu3cSyIoTwx9T59q8-utZMbLUJM7ph4Zw&oe=6A9CFE5D)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790226064_18628778830023307_271064324996924571_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=106&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=YfIbwMjxb3UQ7kNvwFgDPSc&_nc_oc=AdoNqHEiwicIXQJZQBEoC6GotUjlDVQ36bT53ebrzGxIk5-I9D1em6CeDVRu9-aP19k&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQL0ZBphG-tHDvEXiemEBb5_hmMucVEi2UyBrUjCXOi2AhZRVK29jih2aboOZuvc9U0G9z7AvBWX&oh=00_AQLF3feQ4wGK1XqsSVBbIb6r6GPxSM6Y4SQ4U4SWkkAgUA&oe=6A9CFEA8)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792206821_18628778857023307_4454776031995838003_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=110&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=xYHRfOkrsh0Q7kNvwGI9NzB&_nc_oc=AdqaOFW4m3GygIG2OMnkp7RSZbLX5AJ5jtg74O1JZd5ujPMausaLe4TnJvqPXPZEKXk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIb8QRPflhPU5vCEOUdqH9N97DC2rOBKuNieHqa_D6Ucu8HfBRTp8azfLQKuwQq6Luf3phrWrMu&oh=00_AQJhCjsdGzOVSMn_w6gDf1os2mMwj4SFlapAKQh4PAFS9Q&oe=6A9CF5D9)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/786657733_18628778887023307_2878714942818104573_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=GxaZhIGEPy8Q7kNvwHuMYzg&_nc_oc=AdpRLoH-P-ufLhwePnxDwD3nevkN2OQKmjFn_QaiTqKR5jIK7iQgXKLfR-x_MtkCWlA&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIeZoUMsa8oebNooNcfWCFptUgEmTOIz05QBq8GsADHsZP1xfZ8r4wE8vMRoQJHB15KeGdSzvhg&oh=00_AQJENdOID9B3xgv4EBEkH3e-nGDJkCIrk4N3gGjV34Bk8A&oe=6A9D15F0)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791890865_18628778935023307_8419795396321461539_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=xl6JL5aPrZQQ7kNvwHOs-Tx&_nc_oc=AdrPSQJknEpNb6hnHDhQXM7L5ph_7B6XWk6Cm1_DktNvkPN6MdQ31oItIqm-c1FRTwE&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQK8wytKvov9DhAbl0Bh29986o8rf3xEOJugHUb7gwn_MkkvAXKwePsqQmf7uzk_r2pniG4dKBcD&oh=00_AQLVShgTmyWgKKGGu2I-b_b9XLUDUr99qdQCgL_NXIhrUQ&oe=6A9D0F3A)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791483641_18628778848023307_5834588202028335827_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=N2miUjuM1BUQ7kNvwEPkVoy&_nc_oc=Adp7T4YPp--jPGKqAVuDZzWs55cDNJS7lWek8hbZuPvfwC-Stq7H1pdiLgUgkFXXGxo&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQLtotMJbQGfLAI2_OntX8AacYse5W3rHVixoFGnKbhNmEKtZAG470isXag1cJtQ3kGW_r2t8WqH&oh=00_AQJ1J1v1SdDS3jpXUlvQsanOaXEu-ooDTYvayVsEqC_H3Q&oe=6A9CFA4D)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791003488_18628778872023307_3451721526448623210_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=111&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=CggmNXk5MsgQ7kNvwFCBKNP&_nc_oc=AdqjIacNacqFP6XSwhGaCnJfM_52-1u2BPEZNDW9Xh8UhFm5iPwmbIPuUNXSXPaG6Uk&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQIhVoDp1-rno0XlnoiBujELsx2ATYxJ4dVdRVnxhDZHgGYenOVQrhyPt6QLGsHHYbicJ4eGE-sf&oh=00_AQINW4cak8Rti9FGWCJ1sQxE99sH867W7XR12wTguJTWtg&oe=6A9CFFF1)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/792521111_18628778959023307_1144532951296987569_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=4RIgPSQd4LoQ7kNvwHeKnSc&_nc_oc=AdrtW8SP8iu0I8IEzhG2Gc_9cgHV5EkcgZyhJN2q_-29SnGvyzDI_Z8ZOtYeoZWDlIQ&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQJT-xzXHZ__eQ9w1BWO6c6y_fjNrMck3p8Wl7DaaeD8x-u1mwdcrsoQZN4Jn-ZaV0V_WpcjpQyl&oh=00_AQKi-EHH8_XUFf_K6RuqLaGbHI8Ahl1sbelVZ4A-0ZXM6A&oe=6A9D1E56)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791110564_18628778902023307_8517537822774016931_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=SBKlUE5NAB0Q7kNvwFP2Q6t&_nc_oc=Adrqd3y-K-vjSV2cibklUl3pumZn2ovIe6869Xo_W3On9ZYB3X3OduN-1eBPi7VLwGM&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQLKxYOd3XGQIfB3BWJfd28cen9VDh_57BQ-FuXsQaZBd9xv9gU9dGsM6_Yk7_n45Ngdc9ZBhGoE&oh=00_AQLtc6NxQBZ9P8LJiauucsVeJIhX0OCmCMuEGA18KElvWw&oe=6A9D1DC1)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/791465591_18628778974023307_5387226456733816372_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=105&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=ZQuWLyxaTxYQ7kNvwHvOLrH&_nc_oc=AdrvzJxyBJBin4fDWWJSnVbix82MIestPGhjl-a9YgDP4Y-TBkCvyTQ9GXQWq90JveY&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQLzQrkWU_zyo8WHr_sFM0f4lRY0JJmilgsF2tY1zJsaiL5R_MreT3qVQIBHIlEzTDEYKopuRsQl&oh=00_AQJTZfyySu7hxtWiwh8I93whWRuufeqN5XngxzO7dQ3MUQ&oe=6A9D1731)
![[TRIGGER WARNING] Pierre Damas Bel came to the United States to go to school. On Monday morning, the 20-year-old Haitian TPS holder was pronounced dead on Interstate 70 after he was struck by a semi-truck near South Vienna. The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Springfield Post said troopers were called at 8:45 a.m. to the 66 mile marker of westbound I-70, near Ohio 54. Bel was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash remains under investigation.
Bel was a recent graduate of Springfield High School, class of 2026. During his senior year he played soccer for the Wildcats as a forward and midfielder. After graduation, he was looking ahead to college sports.
On July 30, Bel wrote on Instagram that immigration authorities had placed a GPS monitor on his leg, and that the device had stripped him of the future he thought he was building.
“I came to this country to pursue my education. I didn’t come here to commit a crime or hurt anyone,” he wrote. “Yet now I’m walking through the streets of the United States with a GPS monitor on my leg, carrying a feeling of shame and humiliation that I never imagined I would experience.”
His father, Pierre Ronal Bel, told L’Union Suite in an interview Monday that the monitor went on his son’s left leg only a few weeks ago and that Pierre Damas was traumatized & depressed. The last conversation between father and son was at 8:03 a.m. Monday, 42 minutes before troopers were called to I-70.
Pierre Ronal said his son was sitting in a car and told him he was struggling. The father told him to come home so they could talk, sit together, eat, and work through it. Minutes later the phone cut off. He kept calling. He could not reach his son. Pierre Ronal said police told him today his son’s death was intentional but he’s having a hard time processing it all.
L’Union Suite has not independently confirmed the official manner of death. The Ohio State Highway Patrol investigation is ongoing, & the truck driver has not been publicly identified.
What is not in dispute is the pressure Pierre Damas Bel was under. Rest In Peace Pierre. We extend our deepest condolences to Pierre Ronal & the Bel family. 💔🕊️#lunionsuite](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/790318810_18628778992023307_8637302112049144962_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=101&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=HPDWkPURjv0Q7kNvwG9A_ys&_nc_oc=AdpwZgwll8O2CLusAj8Qgj6uSeuep03VcvbHld3vUVu9mFVZX5R0wHgD4KJNVC_QVtY&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=arrC98cjgxg57LZoY3Wkuw&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKPwFl1CrRuR4W5qgi9E1zaWGt18vQWns5BZeA8O7rIalr4RfNdbj80fehNWL7nHnPEnYLpP4Eu&oh=00_AQIw-qjXE69aNjlYMikZDGgGhylbqnfVsxi0Y7vVr53c7A&oe=6A9D0C50)
