Through a cousin in Texas I found out about another cousin who lives near El Yunque National Forest in the northeast of Puerto Rico. Through another cousin in San Juan I learned about other relatives scattered in both urban and rural areas around the island. All my loved ones were safe, though in survival mode.

My attention turned then to the touchstones and places that give Puerto Rico its beauty and culture and that I now realize I have taken for granted all my life.

What was left of “El Yunque,” known for its waterfalls and endangered parrots, I wondered? I later learned that the 28,000-acre treasure, El Yunque, the only tropical rain forest in the United States forest system and a major driver of the island’s tourism, was obliterated.

What about the restaurants and kiosks nearby along Luquillo Beach — Jibaro’s, Terruño, La Parrilla — always good for fritters like alcapurrias, home cooking and music after a day in the sun? Was Old San Juan still recognizable? Did the ice cream place with the long lines for the freshly made waffle cones, Mantecaditos Los Chicos, survive in Culebra, the Puerto Rican island municipality to the east? What was the damage to the delicate bioluminescent bay in Vieques, another island municipality?

What did Hurricane Maria not annihilate? How long would it take for it all to come back?

Ms. Westerman, who eventually confirmed the well-being of both her neighbors and condo and who has been mailing checks to some friends to help them cope, said she planned to see for herself.