CHARLOTTE -- 8 years ago, Sabine Guerrier was devastated.

"In less than a minute, so many lives were lost. So many lives were destroyed," Guerrier said.

She was in Charlotte when a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit her home country.

“I had never experienced anything like this before,” Guerrier said. “It was so shocking."

Geurrier and the non profit she founded, Haitian Heritage and Friends of Haiti, have spent 8 years and about a dozen trips doing what they can to rebuild the country.

But on the 8-year anniversary, Friday, she says Haitians are devastated again.

“They are so angry,” Guerrier said.

President Donald Trump is accused of making derogatory comments about Haiti and other countries, first reported by The Washington Post. President Trump denied the claims on Twitter and said Democrats made the story up.

“Maybe I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt,” Guerrier said. “But Haitians, we are anything but that. We are proud people.”

The comments allegedly came up when considering special provisions for Haitian immigrants. Provisions Guerrier says are necessary.

“It’s not like the place has been fixed, everything is back to normal, and you’re ready to ship us back,” Guerrier said.

She said while Charlotte Haitians feel an obligation to help the country, they are also feeling an obligation to help rebuild its reputation.

“Trust me we still have a long way to go. But we’re taking it one day at a time,” Guerrier said. “Somehow one way or another we will come together. We will survive.”

The President admitted to using, "tough" language during the DACA meeting, though not the language he's accused of.

The Haitian-founded House of Faith Baptist Church in Charlotte also denounced the reported comments by the president.