Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on December 24, 2021

A Palestine couple are in need of help this holiday season after COVID-19 robbed them of their health, took family members and depleted their savings. They are now faced with the loss of their home and possessions.

Palestine native Crystal Mora and her husband, Randy, a Marine veteran, aren't exactly the type of people who feel comfortable accepting help from others. Crystal, a caregiver for Visiting Angels, and Randy, an employee of United States Infrastructure Corporation, a national underground utility locating company, worked more than 70 hours a week in the midst of the COVID pandemic to support themselves when people were afraid to leave their homes and earn a living. After a stroke of bad luck, the couple are now facing potentially losing what they've worked so hard to obtain over the years.

On Sept. 20, after taking his mother to doctors' appointments for stent placement, Randy and his 85-year-old mother contracted COVID-19.

At first, Crystal nursed them both at home in Hallsville, where the family had moved for job opportunities, but their condition quickly worsened. Randy's mother was taken to Longview Regional Medical Center while he was taken to Good Shepherd Hospital to address their plummeting oxygen levels.

By Sept. 27, Randy was placed on a ventilator. While Randy was on the ventilator and in a coma, his mother was released home on hospice where Crystal continued to help care for her. Randy's mother had no idea of the severity of his condition and to avoid distressing her further before her death, Randy and Crystal's son dressed as Randy and said his goodbyes to give her peace during her final hours. Randy's mother passed away from COVID-19 on the morning of Oct. 5.

A little less than a week later, Randy came off the ventilator for the first time. Scared of how the news of his mother's passing would affect him, Crystal reluctantly told Randy what had happened to his mother after he'd asked if she'd passed away. Eventually, Randy's condition again deteriorated, and he went back on the ventilator. Crystal was then dealt the task no one wants to imagine when thinking of their loved one, whether or not to prolong Randy's life.

Altogether, Randy endured treatment in the ICU for over 40 days. During this time, Crystal advocated for Randy, for his life and for specific medical treatments, and battled the guilt of having to leave his bedside to return to work.

After his release from ICU, Randy suffered a stroke on another unit of the hospital. The effects of the stroke were so severe he no longer recognized his 20-year-old son.

Now at home, Randy has gotten better, but he continues to have cognitive deficits and difficulty walking that make it unsafe for him to be at home alone, although he's recently begun standing up by himself and is weaning off his oxygen.

Crystal now stays at home as his full-time caregiver. The bills never stop, and the family has quickly gone through their savings.

In a show of support for the Moras, Elkhart Automotive and Commercial Bank of Texas are accepting donations for the Randy Mora Donation Fund. They have been notified that an anonymous donor will match up to $5,000 in donations.

For more information, contact Elkhart Automotive at 903-764-0120 or CBTx at 903-764-2243.

See more here:

Palestine native in need after COVID-19 tragedy | News | palestineherald.com - Palestine Herald Press

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