Stranded TikToker in Jamaica Complains About Food as Hurricane Melissa Turns Deadly — Who is Jourdain?

TikToker Jourdain Mulholland faced intense backlash after posting a video complaining about resort food while stranded in Jamaica during Hurricane Melissa. The travel content creator, who shares clips under @travelwithjourdain, stayed at Sandals South Coast when the Category 5 storm struck on 28 October.

Her complaint about a salad with 'no dressing' sparked anger across social media as locals were struggling to survive. As Jamaica declared a national disaster, her video quickly spread online, drawing criticism for being insensitive during a deadly emergency.

Stranded TikToker in Jamaica Goes Viral

Mulholland, a healthcare worker and travel vlogger from the US, arrived in Jamaica with her husband on 24 October. They stayed at Sandals South Coast, located along the island's southern coastline, as per The Sun. Hurricane Melissa hit four days later, forcing the resort into lockdown.

The couple shared clips of strong winds, heavy rain, and staff distributing emergency meals. One post, showing a salad 'with no dressing', gained over 220,000 views within hours. Many accused her of being tone-deaf while residents nearby faced flooding and destruction. She later disabled comments on the viral post.

Complains About Food Amid Hurricane Melissa

Guests at Sandals were confined indoors from Sunday evening through Tuesday as the storm intensified. Meals were delivered in takeaway containers to ensure safety. In her video, Jourdain displayed breakfast items — eggs, bacon, potatoes, sausages, pastries, fruit, and salad — then remarked that the salad lacked dressing.

Viewers reacted strongly. Some called her ungrateful, pointing out that resort staff were risking their safety while locals lost homes and lives. Responding later, she posted that she appreciated the food and praised employees, saying they 'were incredible' and continued working despite having families in danger. However, the outrage had already spread widely.

Who is Jourdain Mulholland?

Mulholland works in healthcare and runs a small travel business. She shares travel guides and reviews on TikTok and Instagram. Married to another healthcare worker, she explained that their demanding jobs made rescheduling difficult.

She admitted travelling despite weather warnings, saying, 'Was it the smartest thing for us to do to come here? Probably not'. Before flying, she checked with the resort about cancelling, but was told fees would apply since no immediate threat had been declared.

When flights were later cancelled, the couple found themselves unable to leave. 'By 7 a.m., when we were looking at flights, there was nothing to take us home. We were stuck', she explained.

Insensitive Video as Hurricane Melissa Becomes Deadly

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on 28 October as a Category 5 storm, the strongest in the island's history. Winds reached 185 mph, cutting power across nearly all of Jamaica's 2.8 million residents. Thousands were displaced as homes, hospitals, and farms were destroyed.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the country a disaster zone, stating: 'It is clear that where the eye of the hurricane hit, there would be a devastating impact'.

He confirmed major infrastructure damage and warned of expected fatalities. Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie added that nearly every parish suffered flooding and blocked roads, while Health Minister Christopher Tufton confirmed severe hospital damage.

By 29 October, at least seven deaths were reported across the Caribbean, including three in Jamaica. British-Jamaican climate activist Mikaela Loach noted that rising sea temperatures likely fuelled the storm's strength, saying that 'Melissa gained energy from the unnaturally hot seas in the Caribbean'.

As recovery continues, Jourdain's viral video remains a reminder of how quickly public outrage can rise online — especially when tragedy unfolds just beyond the resort walls.