By Ray Hershel

(AMHERST, Mass.) abc40 -- A local college student is thankful to be alive after getting out of Haiti just hours before the devastating earthquake struck.

Amanda Mundt lives in Amherst. She's a student at Clark University in Worcester.

Mundt is part of the non-profit organization called "Opportunities for Communities" which helps educate the poor. She spent 10 days in Haiti from January 2nd through the 12th. Mundt was in Les Cayes .

On the day she left the country, Mundt took a tour of Port-Au-Prince. She then boarded an airplane and flew out of Haiti around 2pm on Tuesday, "They have TV's on the back of the chairs on the airplane and my friend was watching CNN live on it and nudged me and said take a look at this, it was Haiti, earthquake, and devastation."

It was that close. Mundt had left Haiti just hours before the massive earthquake devastated the country, "At first I couldn't react, I was just in shock, you start thinking how lucky we are to get out of there but then you almost feel guilty because there are so many people left behind."

 Amanda Mundt says she's saddened by the images of all the death and destruction in Haiti saying the people of Haiti are some of the best people she's ever met calling their hospitality, heart. and faith unmatched.

Mundt plans on going back to Haiti next Summer to continue her work with poor children.