Charles B. LeMieux, WWII Marine

Life and Times

This is a Fundraiser for an American Patriot who bravely served our country. During WWII he was wounded multiple times in combat in China. Afterwards he and his Marine company of engineers worked to rebuild war-torn Guam.

Charles decided that the best antidote for the worst of what he had seen at war would be the appreciation and sharing of the world's beauty. After returning from military service, he became a high school teacher of Spanish, English and history. He would dedicate himself to the enrichment of his students for 40 years. We once estimated that during his career Charles taught more than 10,000 students.

Charles and I were married for over 50 years. We worked together to prepare materials for his classes. Our lifetime goal was to promote peace and friendship through the understanding of global cultures. Charles would add beauty to his classes through cultural and creative projects and presentations. We traveled extensively and filmed our own documentaries that Charles would show to his classes. We took lessons so that we could teach his students the tango.

The country that Charles loved and for which he fought, however, abandoned him in his final battles, causing him years of unnecessary suffering and a painful death on October 19, 2019, at age 91. His end-of-life story is also the story of countless senior citizens across the country who have been and continue to be abused and neglected by our healthcare system. I am able to speak the truth of this story because I have witnessed it firsthand.

Charles's obituary can be read on legacy.com.

End of Life

As the years went by, the pain of Charles's battle wounds became more and more severe. In August of 2014 he underwent spinal surgery that was supposed to alleviate the pain. Instead, the resultant failed surgery left Charles with permanent and severe complications. He would never walk again. Perhaps even worse than the failed surgery itself was the lack of follow up help and care. Medicare, the VA and even Charles's own doctor abandoned him.

After his spinal surgery, hospitals and nursing facilities did not want to bother to treat Charles. Dismissive medical staff at all levels repeatedly suggested that Charles was a burden and that I should let him go, that is, that I should just let him die. My dear Charles was never a burden to me or to anyone. No: I was not giving up my life to take care of him. He was my life.

I decided to bring Charles home. Medicare denied him home medical benefits. I would care for him by myself for nearly 5 years. As difficult as that was, we cherished our time together. He made significant progress in his recovery. What a privilege for me to have been able to care for this great man, the Love of my Life. And, if a miracle were to grant me another chance, I would gladly care for Charles all over again.

During those 5 years, the only time that I feared for Charles's life was when he was in the hospital. In 2019 my worst fears came true. Charles was denied essential care in the hospital ICU. Medical staff repeatedly called Charles an "old senile cripple," humiliation which Charles could hear from his hospital bed. They told me that it was hospital policy to reserve its services and equipment for "younger, more able-bodied patients," even though it was and is a Medicare provider. They refused to honor his medical power of attorney, which specified that he be treated and resuscitated. When Charles stopped breathing, the nurse tried to tell me that it was just a problem with a faulty monitor, and that he was really O.K. I was the one who initiated CPR on Charles.

It was hospital staff themselves who caused the injury to Charles that proved fatal. Even though they had plenty of time to intervene and save his life, the ICU staff abandoned Charles and offered him no treatment and no comfort as he gasped for breath for over 10 hours. When I begged for help, the nurse told me that some old people just breathe that way and refused to call for a doctor or respiratory therapist. That Charles survived this inhumane ordeal all night proves how strong he was and how much he wanted to live. If they had told me that they were going to let him die, I could have brought him home where we had our own respiratory treatments and oxygen for him to use.

His was a cruel and brutal death, an unspeakable and unnecessary tragedy. Charles was not given even the most basic of care because our healthcare establishment deemed him unworthy. Charles was unprofitable and, therefore, expendable. The hospital staff admitted to me as much.

You are not garbage. Your loved ones are not garbage. I am not garbage. Charles was not garbage to be disposed of because he was an older, disabled American. No one deserves the reprehensible lack of medical care that Charles endured. For the first time in 90 years, Charles was not counted in the 2020 Census because our healthcare system decided that he did not count. I am heartbroken beyond repair by the loss of my Precious Love. I am horrified by the way he was forced to suffer and die.

Raising Funds and Awareness

All funds donated to this campaign will go directly to pay Charles's medical bills and to create a Memorial in his name. I envision the Memorial as an advocacy group that will provide a forum to raise awareness of what is being done to our elderly and disabled patients. In other words, I seek justice for Charles while I fight for all those who have suffered and continue to suffer in his situation. Despite the actions and abandonment of Charles by medical staff, I insist that, under the law and because we are human beings, we, the elderly disabled, are no less equal than anyone else.

Charles and I had been planning to mount a GoFundMe advocacy campaign together. He wanted to speak out on your behalf, and so do I. This Memorial honors Charles's legacy of bringing people together.

For over 5 years we paid out of pocket for all of Charles's home medical needs. As a result, our life savings are gone. Once Charles was taken from me, my income was cut in half, and funeral expenses were added to the medical debt. I am left with $150,000 of Charles's medical bills. During the more than 50 years that I knew my Beloved, not once did he leave an account unsettled. Not once did he fail to keep a promise. Finding a way to cover these medical expenses is my tribute to Charles and the authentic way he lived his life.

Thank you so much. Muchas gracias. Alone now, I know that I cannot organize a national advocacy group. Not by myself. I need your help. I am so very grateful for your donation and for your kindness and concern. Please feel free to ask me questions. To everyone, and especially to Charles's former students, I invite you to respond in Spanish. Charles cared deeply about you and always wished you the best possible life.