Donation protected
Our dear friend, Augustine Martinez, needs help.
We've employed Augustine as a part-time, landscaper/ gardener, construction worker, painter and general laborer for more than seven years. He has been not only very competent, but responsible, reliable and energetic in everything he's done.
My wife Patti and I are close to Augustine and his wife, Anita, who lives in Mexico and travels north twice a year to see her husband. They have three children, whose health and education are the most important thing in their life. He talks to them by phone twice a day every day. In addition to his family, he supports his mother and, as needed, a disabled brother.
Augustine works long hours at least six and frequently seven days a week, unless he gets rained out or -- as just happened, -- he gets ill.
On February 24, 2020, Augustine came to my house, wearing a sanitary mask and gloves, to tell me that he was too sick to work and needed to go to the clinic. He was extremely congested and we were all just starting to hear about the COVID-19 virus. We encouraged him to go.
After seeing a doctor at a clinic in Escondido and receiving two shots that were supposed to clear up his condition, he returned to his single room in Poway to rest.
We ordered food for delivery over the next two days, but on the third day, when I talked to him, he seemed a little better. I asked him if he was able to get food for himself and he said, "Yes. Thank you."
It seemed like he was getting over his cold very quickly and I understood he intended to begin working again the following day, although I encouraged him to rest longer. Everybody was grateful and relieved that he was feeling better. I expected him to come to my house the following Monday.
Clearly, my Spanish or his English had failed somewhere along the line. Or maybe his pride got the better of him.
On Monday, March 2nd, I got a desperate call from him. He was having trouble breathing and wanted to go to the hospital. I went to pick him up and he met me in front of the house where he rooms. He was clearly still terribly ill.
Augustine, who has diabetes and uses daily insulin, had not eaten for days. I estimated that Augustine, a solid muscular powerhouse, had lost at least twenty pounds.
Shortly thereafter, he was admitted to the hospital with Pneumonia and quarantined. He has been there since and is being well taken care of.
His condition has improved, though he remains in quarantine as they wait for the results of his COVID-19 and for his health to improve enough for him to be discharged.
Knowing Augustine, the most immediate challenge will be to get him to rest long enough to fully recover. He will move into our guest room as soon as he is discharged and we'll take care of him through his recovery.
He has lost and will continue to lose much work time and has incurred medical bills he cannot afford and will insist on paying.
We are establishing this GoFundMe to assist him in recovering enough money to -- at least -- make up for the income he will lose due to this illness .
Augustine, like most day laborers, has no savings. In addition to the support he must send to his family, he needs to pay the rent on his room. He needs to pay for insurance -- which insists on having -- and registration on his truck so he can work. He needs to pay for his cell phone so that he can continue to be in contact with the people who employ him regularly.
You get the picture.
Augustine Martinez is the hardest working man I know. he is a devoted father, even in absentia. And he's one of the nicest human beings I've ever had the pleasure to know. Many of you have met him.
Please help us help him. Throw a couple bucks in the pot. Spread the word among your friends and associates.
Thanks
Jake Jacobs
We've employed Augustine as a part-time, landscaper/ gardener, construction worker, painter and general laborer for more than seven years. He has been not only very competent, but responsible, reliable and energetic in everything he's done.
My wife Patti and I are close to Augustine and his wife, Anita, who lives in Mexico and travels north twice a year to see her husband. They have three children, whose health and education are the most important thing in their life. He talks to them by phone twice a day every day. In addition to his family, he supports his mother and, as needed, a disabled brother.
Augustine works long hours at least six and frequently seven days a week, unless he gets rained out or -- as just happened, -- he gets ill.
On February 24, 2020, Augustine came to my house, wearing a sanitary mask and gloves, to tell me that he was too sick to work and needed to go to the clinic. He was extremely congested and we were all just starting to hear about the COVID-19 virus. We encouraged him to go.
After seeing a doctor at a clinic in Escondido and receiving two shots that were supposed to clear up his condition, he returned to his single room in Poway to rest.
We ordered food for delivery over the next two days, but on the third day, when I talked to him, he seemed a little better. I asked him if he was able to get food for himself and he said, "Yes. Thank you."
It seemed like he was getting over his cold very quickly and I understood he intended to begin working again the following day, although I encouraged him to rest longer. Everybody was grateful and relieved that he was feeling better. I expected him to come to my house the following Monday.
Clearly, my Spanish or his English had failed somewhere along the line. Or maybe his pride got the better of him.
On Monday, March 2nd, I got a desperate call from him. He was having trouble breathing and wanted to go to the hospital. I went to pick him up and he met me in front of the house where he rooms. He was clearly still terribly ill.
Augustine, who has diabetes and uses daily insulin, had not eaten for days. I estimated that Augustine, a solid muscular powerhouse, had lost at least twenty pounds.
Shortly thereafter, he was admitted to the hospital with Pneumonia and quarantined. He has been there since and is being well taken care of.
His condition has improved, though he remains in quarantine as they wait for the results of his COVID-19 and for his health to improve enough for him to be discharged.
Knowing Augustine, the most immediate challenge will be to get him to rest long enough to fully recover. He will move into our guest room as soon as he is discharged and we'll take care of him through his recovery.
He has lost and will continue to lose much work time and has incurred medical bills he cannot afford and will insist on paying.
We are establishing this GoFundMe to assist him in recovering enough money to -- at least -- make up for the income he will lose due to this illness .
Augustine, like most day laborers, has no savings. In addition to the support he must send to his family, he needs to pay the rent on his room. He needs to pay for insurance -- which insists on having -- and registration on his truck so he can work. He needs to pay for his cell phone so that he can continue to be in contact with the people who employ him regularly.
You get the picture.
Augustine Martinez is the hardest working man I know. he is a devoted father, even in absentia. And he's one of the nicest human beings I've ever had the pleasure to know. Many of you have met him.
Please help us help him. Throw a couple bucks in the pot. Spread the word among your friends and associates.
Thanks
Jake Jacobs
Co-organizers (3)
Jake Jacobs
Organizer
San Diego, CA
Patricia Jacobs
Co-organizer
James Plaster
Co-organizer