Overseas travel without adequate airambulance and medical insurance cover can give rise to huge problems – something that the Jimenez Family learnt the hard way. 22-year-old Barbara Jimenez has now been stranded in Cuba for almost a month now in Cuba after she was involved in a major car crash. Although fit enough for travel via airambulance, she is still in Cuba due to lack of funds. The airambulance is expected to cost upwards of $50,000. Barbara’s family members have expressed their helplessness in raising that kind of money for her airambulance transport. Barbara also does not have health insurance.
Help for Arranging Airambulance to the United States
Barbara had been in a coma with a broken skull, the first few days following the accident. Her boyfriend, John Fox, 23, too was seriously injured but is back in the US currently. His family had arranged for an airambulance to ferry him back; however, the airambulance was too small to also accommodate Barbara. She has been in a Havana hospital since August 3 and has been accompanied by her sister for caretaking.
Barbara is a senior at University of South Florida. Her sorority at the University has tried raising money for her by creating a GoFundMe page by the name “Bring Barbie Home.” So, far they’ve only been able to raise slightly over $13,000 of the targeted $75,000.
Barbara had interned with United States Representative Kathy Castor who is a democrat from Florida State. He has offered a helping hand by saying that he would facilitate her transfer from Cuba.
Tampa Airambulance Company, JET ICU, Comes Forward with Help
The airambulance company, JET ICU, has assured that they would take the responsibility of bring Barbara back from Cuba. The airambulance company would transport her to Tampa General Hospital soon. She will be returning to Tampa on Friday if all things go according to schedule.
