LUTZ, Fla. (WFLA) – Angel Cruz, 87, was ill and in the Centro Medico hospital in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.
He passed away on Tuesday. His family in Lutz thinks the after effects of Hurricane Maria may have hindered him from getting proper care.
His daughter, who also lives in Puerto Rico, wasn’t with him when he died.
No family was.
“We had no way to communicate. I think his daughter was having trouble communicating too,” said Raymond Ortiz, Cruz’s brother.
Angel Cruz was a Korean War veteran. He served in the 65th Infantry Regiment Boriqueneers.
He even received a Congressional gold medal for his service.
Recently, he struggled with his health.
His family feels after the storm hit, he didn’t get the care he needed.
“I feel like what happened to my brother is that he wasn’t dialyzed, and there was no way of dialyzing him,” his sister, Iris Torres, said.
The concern now is for others and making sure people realize how bad things are in Puerto Rico, and not just in San Juan.
“My thing is, there’s other people there being elderly, children that are in need… that were in the same position as my brother,” Torres said.
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