Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico (CNN) When I first met Diana Aponte, she had just lived through Hurricane Maria. She'd spent part of the storm huddled on the floor with her husband, afraid they would be killed and their hilltop home destroyed.

But when the terrifyingly strong winds eased, her fears did not. Her husband of 50 years, Miguel Olivera, who had survived combat against the Viet Cong, was down to his last vial of insulin . With no power, she had no way of keeping it cold.

And yet that day, as she talked to me of her troubles, she showed great grace and hospitality as she made me a perfect café con leche.

Three weeks later, I returned to her community of Aguas Buenas, about an hour from San Juan, not knowing what had become of her and her family.

Diana Aponte stands by her home in Aguas Buenas, next to the reconstruction of a transmission tower.

My concerns were dispelled within seconds of reaching the house by Diana's joyous smile and big, warm hug.

Read More