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Matchathon: Tragedy In The Caribbean! Help The Federman Family In The Virgin Islands!
The tragedy that has transpired in the Virgin Islands has left shock waves throughout the Jewish community and beyond. You can help!
Rabbi Asher & Henya (Shmotkin) Federman have been serving people on the Virgin Islands for the past seventeen years as Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim.
During that time, they’ve built a beautiful community on the remote island, earning them and their thirteen beautiful children, בלע”ה, the love of their community, and the admiration and gratitude of the thousands of seasonal visitors and vacationers who stream through their part of the world.
Despite the challenges of living on a remote island and of educating and caring for their beautiful children, visitors to S. Thomas and the surrounding Islands have always been awed by the Federmans’ unique warmth, hospitality and selfless assistance.
Their positive influence on countless lives can literally be felt all around the globe!
Their beautiful children, several of them studying thousands of miles from home, have always been a central part of the Federmans’ work, and are much beloved.
The family just returned to the island several weeks ago, celebrating one of their children’s full recovery after battling a life-threatening illness for almost a year.
Then, on Tuesday, an unthinkable tragedy struck.
As they stood on a pier, the Federmans’ four-month old baby, Shterna Sarah, fell in. Both parents jumped into the water, and desperately tried to save her. In the panic, Henya got stuck under the pier for an extended amount of time.
People nearby struggled to pull her out and resuscitate her. She is now on life-support fighting for her life, after being transported to Miami for critical medical care.
The baby did not survive, ר”ל, and was recovered from the water some time later.
What can we do?
Our hearts are broken. We need to continue to pray that Henya bas Bracha Devora Leah will pull through and live long healthy years together with her children, who so need her.
We, their friends and admirers, must stand with the family during their darkest hour.
The expenses are enormous, and the least we can do is help alleviate the financial burden.
Numerous airlifts, chartered and commercial flights, and care for the bereaved children have already amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Much more expense is anticipated in the coming days, and each child will require personal care and attention in this unthinkable situation.
As the family focuses on Henya’s medical care and on Asher and the children’s needs, the least we can do is alleviate their financial concerns.
All funds will be devoted specifically for the care of the family.
The fund is overseen by a group of Shluchim, classmates of Rabbi Federman, from around the world and administered by Lubavitch of Wisconsin.
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11 Comments On "Matchathon: Tragedy In The Caribbean! Help The Federman Family In The Virgin Islands!"
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I read about this very sad situation last week. It breaks my heart. As with other campaigns, I’ll ask again (especially as it’s the tragedy occurred on US soil). Does health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid not cover these types of medical expenses, including medical transport via ambulance or airplane? From what I’m aware, they are indeed insured situations. Mental health is typically a covered benefit too. Have those insurance options been weighed in before $1.5 million is being collected?
there are other expenses that come out of awful situations like this. Its not just a medical issue. your question is very insensitive, TBH
…yet, my question remains unanswered. Medical bills, psychotherapy, and medical air lift should be below $5,000 at a max, so my question remains. If they have medicaid, the bills would be costless.
Sensitivity aside…
What is the value of a mother of 12?
Or a husband now caring for 12 kids while trying to care for his wife on life support.
And how does health insurance in the Virigin Islands work in the US to get decent medical care?
There are so many expenses that come to mind I couldn’t even begin to list them.
Funeral cost for the baby can easily exceed $5k, psychology bills for 12 other kids, this is so heartbreaking, hard to even imagine what the family is going through right now.
Value of a mother? Are they trying to replace her? Is this about needs? Medical works everywhere, not just on the islands. The flights don’t have to be chartered, economy works just fine! Where the extended family at? 1.5 min is quite a stretch. The 600k already donated should more than suffice.
You seem to know something I don’t.
How long will the mother be on life support?
Can’t believe the moderator posted this comment, would expect to see this “maybe” on New York Times blog not a heimeshe one
Not all ‘providers’ are ‘in network.’ Or, perhaps, the better trained ones are not covered by their plan. There are a million possibilities.
Medicaid providers may be few and far between in crowded, urban areas….. let alone island communities.
Often there is a need for babysitters, while the adult(s) must go out….
Someone to cook and clean for the little ones…..
I could go on.
The questions are reasonable. Until you’ve been in such a situation, you can’t imagine how expenses can go crazy…..
I think you’re asking for proper oversight of the donated funds.
May the family never know tragedy again!
Not the time nor place. Also not your business don’t donate it’s a choice.
May we never experience the pain to understand how expenses pile up in these situations.
A mother of 12 is irreplaceable- but while she’s recovering- someone needs to be paid to babysit, do homework with the kids, shop, cook, clean, do laundry etc. The father is torn between caring for his kids emotionally and spending time at his wife’s bedside and researching and making decisions for her care. Likely whatever source of income was brought in by either parent until now, is non existent. While Medicaid may cover many expenses, in situations like this, there is a lot more that can help the family if funds are available for private medical care. Just for therapy itself- the right therapist might very well not accept medicaid. Additionally there may be treatment that can offer more hope to the family, but is not covered by the insurance.
May Hashem grant Henya a refuah shleima bikarov and may the family know of no more pain
How is the Mom doing?