Thursday, July 27, 2017
Tonight's picture was taken in December of 2016. Peter, Sunny, and I visited the Angel of Hope statue in Woburn, MA. I had come across this statue in the summer of 2016, and I knew immediately what this angel was all about. Mainly because I read the Christmas Box, a wonderful book by Richard Evans. In the book, his main character visits an angel statue like this one in the cemetery and we come to know that the grave she was visiting was her daughter's. It was a very powerful book and a book that resonates with parents who have lost a child. Ironically I read this book way before Mattie developed cancer and died!
From Evans' book, parents all over the country started an Angel of Hope campaign. You can find Angels like this one pictured throughout the US, I knew this but never actually saw one until the Summer of 2016.
Quote of the day: The miracle of your mind isn't that you can see the world as it is. It's that you can see the world as it isn't. ~ Kathryn Schulz
In 2016, as I mentioned above, I contacted Maureen Webster about adding Mattie's name to the Angel of Hope statue. Maureen was delightful and in the process of our conversations I learned about her son Nolan, who died after vacationing in Mexico. At first, if you haven't done your homework, you could think that Maureen's story is NOT possible. After all, what 22 year old goes to a Mexican resort, drowns in a pool, and yet NO ONE at the hotel makes any effort to save him? Furthermore the hotel staff PREVENTS a fellow hotel guest (an American nurse) from intervening to help Nolan. Nolan died a horrific death, and as Maureen and the media have uncovered this is NOT an isolated incident. It is too perplexing and disturbing to accept that this is happening, and worse that the State Department does nothing to help these families who are faced with such a crisis in Mexico.
I truly invite you to read the article below and watch the minute long video! Why am I bringing this up? Well while in Charlottesville this weekend, I picked up the USA Today in the hotel lobby. The article entitled, "Mexico tourists suspect tainted alcohol" caught my attention. Mainly because I was familiar with Maureen's story. Maureen is mentioned in the article, along with her website, which is worth checking out (http://mexicovacationawareness.com/index.html). Makes you want to think TWICE about going to Mexico, much less staying at an all inclusive resort.
It is absolutely horrific how so many families have been permanent effected by just going on vacation. Here are the commonalities with these stories:
- People blacked out after drinking SMALL amounts of alcohol.
- Resort staff were often reluctant to call local authorities.
- Those making trips to the hospital were told to bring CASH.
- A 2015 report from Mexico's Tax Administration Service found that 43% of all the alcohol consumed in the country is illegal and could contain dangerous chemicals.
- The US State Department has done little to help and doesn't uniformly track details of US deaths abroad.
I encourage you to read the article below and to watch several of the videos within the article. It may be hard to believe, but it happens. Case in point, just google "warnings about traveling to mexico and alcohol." You won't believe the number of articles that pop up. It is hard enough to lose a child to cancer, but I can't imagine losing a child from a planned vacation! At the very least, being armed with this information is important and should be shared with anyone planning to stay at an inclusive resort in Mexico.
U.S. State Department warns tourists about tainted alcohol at Mexico resorts after blackouts reported
http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/investigations/2017/07/26/u-s-state-department-issues-travel-warning-tainted-alcohol-mexico-resorts-after-tourists-blackouts/513563001/
1 comment:
Vicki, Thank you for this post and the links warning people about travel to Mexico. I had already known about the young woman from Pewaukee, Wisconsin and her tragic death. Unbelievable with parents in the hotel & her brother with her. We have never traveled to an all inclusive resort. But word of mouth is a powerful way to spread news that people should investigate where they are planning to travel. It is sad to think that handsome, young man celebrating, died without anyone helping. I am sure even this many years later, the Nurse who tried to intervene, is affected by all the what if's.
I have never read THE CHRISTMAS BOX. It is a mission of mine now. I remember the picture, you posted from a post at that time! My resolve to get the book and now knowing I did not do it.
I would love to see a real Angel of Hope. Will have to see where the closest one is to us, if they are all over the Country!
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