Family of man, dying with ALS, loses power



By:
Mike DeesonTampa, Florida - When we first drove up on Miguel Labrador home we noticed the family car was running and thought it was a mistake. We found out later the car was running to power the nebulizer that Labrador's 6-year-old daughter Jessica needs for her asthma. Labrador's home has no electricity.

The former truck driver has received cancellation notices for the water, sewer and electric because he has ALS, commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease and can't work. Labrador is worried about his wife and family.

He says he's sick and can't work, his wife has a certificate to take care of him, and she can't work. They have three small kids and Labrador says he doesn't know what to do. Labrador's wife, speaking Spanish, breaks down as she tries to tell us only God can help them.

You don't have to speak Spanish to feel the pain she is experiencing and understand how desperate the situation is. Their landlord, Frank Ramentol, has been allowing the family to live rent free for six months but he says they need more help.

Ramentol says it would be nice if somebody would step in. He says he thinks section 8 would be wonderful for them.

Meantime, the family apparently qualifies for section 8 housing and Hillsborough county says there's is a waiting list of more than 3,000 families and it takes up to 3 years and that list is getting longer everyday.

Tony Morejon, the Hillsborough Hispanic Liaison says government helps where it can when those folks are eligible for assistance.

But the sad fact is some get turned away.

Morejon says they do, it's a fact of life.

And for the Labrador family it is a fact of life and death.


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