FEMA help provided for flood-related funeral, medical bills

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A Shelltown household grieving a loss of life they are saying stemmed from the January flooding is hoping for FEMA help with funeral bills.

Days after flood waters claimed the Garcia house on Osborn Avenue in January, there was extra devastating information.

“Broke my coronary heart. To today, it nonetheless breaks my coronary heart,” stated Garcia.

Rene Garcia says his 79-year-old father, Juan, was hospitalized with pneumonia, earlier than passing away.

The grandfather of 8 and former chef, partially paralyzed from a stroke, had been feeling good, earlier than the water pushed into his house, forcing Rene’s brother into motion.

Garcia’s brother, Dave, drove an SUV proper as much as the entrance door. He carried his dad down the steps and into the SUV.

Juan was uncovered to the seat-level water for a lot of minutes earlier than they have been in a position dry out.

“The flood triggered my dad’s loss of life,” stated Garcia.

Weeks after Juan’s loss of life, household held a funeral for the beloved grandfather.

“We wanted to have goodbye for him. He deserved it. The whole lot we now have is due to him,” stated Garcia.

Juan’s passing was painful, each emotionally and financially, for family members.

“My sister spent $20,000 simply on funeral bills,” stated Garcia.

That expense was added monetary stress. Garcia says the value tag for the dry out and rebuild is about $40,000, with one other $40,000 in private property misplaced. The household didn’t have flood insurance coverage.

Up to now, the household has obtained about $17,000 in FEMA help.

“It is not sufficient to pay for the repairs,” stated Garcia.

The household has additionally utilized for FEMA funds to cowl funeral bills.

Through the pandemic, the company additionally provided help overlaying COVID-related funeral prices..

The utmost reimbursement for deaths from the current flooding is $10,000.

FEMA officers say flood victims may apply for funds associated to medical bills and broken medical gear from the flood.

“If they’re associated … analyzed in a case by case state of affairs. Sure, it might be coated,” stated Gabriel Gonzalez, FEMA Public Data Officer.

A Gofundme marketing campaign has been began to assist the household with funeral and flood associated bills.