Please Help Tamra

 

     I just got some heart-breaking news. My copyeditor and dear friend, Tamra Crow, just lost her boyfriend today. He collapsed on the job, EMS did CPR on him and they Life Flighted him to an area hospital. I just got word that he passed away today.

     I don't know if I can convey how much Tamra depended on James for virtually everything. He was virtually her only source of income and transportation. She never learned to drive. Years ago, he rescued her from a very violent and abusive relationship in California and he put her on a bus to Texas and he'd been caring for her until today. May of last year, he even helped her rescue a baby pig that they named Squeakers. James was obviously a very kind man and I cannot imagine what my poor friend is going through.

 

     They lived near his extended family but, since they were never married, I don't know if the family will continue caring for her. Over the last couple of years, they've been living in a travel trailer that's always under the threat of repossession by his ex-wife. And even with James working two jobs, it was a struggle to feed their pig, which is why I had to chip in countless hundreds of dollars over the last year to keep her fed.

     I will editorialize here and remind everyone that Texas' governor, some crippled Nazi named Greg Abbott, almost a year ago to the day signed into law a sadistic bill that allows employers in Texas to deny water breaks to their employees. I don't know what killed James. Even Tamra doesn't know. Since they weren't married, they may hide behind patient confidentiality laws to stonewall her.

     But you don't need me to tell you how brutal the Texas sun is and in his day job James worked outside, ironically, digging graves. I can perfectly imagine the poor guy keeling over because of the heat and dehydration. Thanks, Abbott and the TX legislature. As someone who's living under a never-ending heat wave here in Phoenix, I know firsthand how dangerous 110-120 degree temps can be.

     Her Paypal email is Tcroweditsing@yahoo.com. Right now, she and that sweet pig need all the help in the world and I'm not very confident the family will come through for them. For the love of God, please help them if you can spare even a few bucks. And even if you can't, then please put this out if you have blogs or social media accounts.