A Pennsylvania woman has died while on vacation in the Dominican Republic, and her family is urgently seeking financial assistance to bring her body back to the United States.
Sudden Illness During Family Trip
Carolyn Russel, from Pittsburgh, was vacationing in Punta Cana with her family during the first week of May. However, just days into the trip, she became seriously ill and was admitted to a local hospital.
Her sisters told WPXI that they believe Russel experienced a diabetic emergency, which led to a cardiac arrest while in hospital. She died on Tuesday morning after suffering a second cardiac arrest.
Family Members Stay Behind
While Russel was still alive, two relatives—Patricia Powell and Norma Bryant—remained in the Dominican Republic to be with her, while the rest of the family returned home. They stayed by her side for nearly two weeks as she lay in hospital, connected to a ventilator.
During this time, they attempted to arrange her transfer back to the US for better medical care. Powell and Bryant reported that Dominican doctors did not speak English, creating communication difficulties, and the hospital lacked necessary equipment.
Costly Repatriation Efforts
Powell stated, 'No one can seem to be able to help us.' When they visited the US embassy in Punta Cana, they were only given phone numbers for medevac services to inquire about costs.
After making calls, they discovered that bringing Russel home would cost approximately $55,000, as she had no medical insurance. The cost included ambulance, doctor, ventilator, and air transport.
GoFundMe Campaign
The family launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the necessary funds. Following Russel's death, the fundraiser was repurposed to cover the cost of repatriating her body.
'We are currently still in need of financial help,' the family wrote on the page after announcing her death. As of Wednesday evening, the campaign had raised $6,273 of its $22,000 goal in six days.
Early Signs of Illness
Powell told WPXI that Russel showed signs of illness early in the trip, vomiting after an excursion to see monkeys. Powell and Bryant had planned to return to Pittsburgh without Russel, feeling they had exhausted all options, as she showed no signs of improvement.
It remains unclear whether they have returned home as planned or are staying longer to assist with repatriation.
