Funerary Costs for Marco Arguello Ortiz
Donation protected
Marco Argüello Ortiz was born in Mexico in 1986. Throughout his childhood he became a central part of his family as an older sibling and as a loving son to his parents. In 2008, when Marco was only 22, his father was tragically killed in an auto accident, leaving Marco with the responsibility of supporting his mother and younger sister. When a job opportunity appeared in New York, Marco took the huge leap of moving to Manhattan to pursue a new career in order to send the money back to his family. He continued living peacefully and working hard for his family for the next 12 years.
Then, in the beginning of March, 2020, the first cases of Coronavirus were contracted in New York. By the end of the month Marco began to show symptoms of the virus and later tested positive for COVID-19. As the virus worsened, he began having difficulty breathing and was admitted to a Manhattan hospital.
I was contacted a week into his time at the hospital by his brother, whose wife I employ to help take care of my house. They had not been able to contact the hospital as no one in the family speaks english, and I was the only person they knew who spoke the language and who could help translate. I called the hospital daily and spoke with Marco’s doctors who informed me of the treatments that he was getting and that he seemed to be responding well. Marco was very healthy and had no underlying conditions, giving his doctors hope that he would pull through.
Like many families in Mexico, Marco’s family is very close. After speaking with many people at the hospital, I was finally able to provide his family with his room phone number so he could speak with his mother and family, and they could finally hear each other’s voices. This was never able to happen. That night the virus had become so bad that Marco was put into an induced coma and put on a ventilator. Due to the worsened circumstances, the hospital was finally able to provide the family with a translator so they could be in direct communication with the hospital. A few days later I received a call in the morning from the wife of Marco’s brother, informing me that he had passed away. He was only 34 years old.
No one ever expected that Marco would pass away. Now that he is gone his family is not only dealing with unimaginable grief, but also with extreme financial uncertainty. Marco’s job provided full financial stability for his mother and sister, but what most concerns the family is being able to bring him back home. After speaking with the funeral home, the family needs to provide $11,500USD if they want the body returned. This is a lot of money for anyone, let alone a small family from Mexico who, due to the country’s economy and lack of access to opportunities, cannot afford to pay so much without going into complete financial ruin.
Marco’s loved ones are extremely hard working, respectful, and kind people and it is truly an honor to know them. Because of this, I want to raise $15,000USD so Marco can be sent home, the family can have a proper funeral service that honors his incredible life, and his loved ones can have closure. If I cannot raise this money Marco will be buried in New York away from his family, there will be no service, his family will never be able to travel to his grave to pay their respects, and the only thing that will be returned to them is what Marco brought with him to the hospital when he was admitted.
Marco put his trust for a better future in the United States, and his life was cut way too short. I call upon my family, friends, acquaintances, and kind strangers to donate whatever you can to help, and give Marco and his family the peace and closure that they deserve. Since GoFundMe is not supported in Mexico, all donations will handled by me and transferred directly to the family as they come through. If you are unable to donate at this time, I ask you to please share this campaign on social media, through email, with family, friends, colleagues, and any groups you may be a part of. We are all suffering in our own ways during these uncertain and scary times, and now more than ever we need to be there for one another.
Thank you in advance for your support during these unimaginable times, and I send love and gratitude to all who take the time to read Marco’s story.
Sincerely,
Celeste Adams & the Ortiz Family
Then, in the beginning of March, 2020, the first cases of Coronavirus were contracted in New York. By the end of the month Marco began to show symptoms of the virus and later tested positive for COVID-19. As the virus worsened, he began having difficulty breathing and was admitted to a Manhattan hospital.
I was contacted a week into his time at the hospital by his brother, whose wife I employ to help take care of my house. They had not been able to contact the hospital as no one in the family speaks english, and I was the only person they knew who spoke the language and who could help translate. I called the hospital daily and spoke with Marco’s doctors who informed me of the treatments that he was getting and that he seemed to be responding well. Marco was very healthy and had no underlying conditions, giving his doctors hope that he would pull through.
Like many families in Mexico, Marco’s family is very close. After speaking with many people at the hospital, I was finally able to provide his family with his room phone number so he could speak with his mother and family, and they could finally hear each other’s voices. This was never able to happen. That night the virus had become so bad that Marco was put into an induced coma and put on a ventilator. Due to the worsened circumstances, the hospital was finally able to provide the family with a translator so they could be in direct communication with the hospital. A few days later I received a call in the morning from the wife of Marco’s brother, informing me that he had passed away. He was only 34 years old.
No one ever expected that Marco would pass away. Now that he is gone his family is not only dealing with unimaginable grief, but also with extreme financial uncertainty. Marco’s job provided full financial stability for his mother and sister, but what most concerns the family is being able to bring him back home. After speaking with the funeral home, the family needs to provide $11,500USD if they want the body returned. This is a lot of money for anyone, let alone a small family from Mexico who, due to the country’s economy and lack of access to opportunities, cannot afford to pay so much without going into complete financial ruin.
Marco’s loved ones are extremely hard working, respectful, and kind people and it is truly an honor to know them. Because of this, I want to raise $15,000USD so Marco can be sent home, the family can have a proper funeral service that honors his incredible life, and his loved ones can have closure. If I cannot raise this money Marco will be buried in New York away from his family, there will be no service, his family will never be able to travel to his grave to pay their respects, and the only thing that will be returned to them is what Marco brought with him to the hospital when he was admitted.
Marco put his trust for a better future in the United States, and his life was cut way too short. I call upon my family, friends, acquaintances, and kind strangers to donate whatever you can to help, and give Marco and his family the peace and closure that they deserve. Since GoFundMe is not supported in Mexico, all donations will handled by me and transferred directly to the family as they come through. If you are unable to donate at this time, I ask you to please share this campaign on social media, through email, with family, friends, colleagues, and any groups you may be a part of. We are all suffering in our own ways during these uncertain and scary times, and now more than ever we need to be there for one another.
Thank you in advance for your support during these unimaginable times, and I send love and gratitude to all who take the time to read Marco’s story.
Sincerely,
Celeste Adams & the Ortiz Family
Organizer and beneficiary
Celeste Adams
Organizer
Ann Arbor, MI
Dawn Gilpin
Beneficiary
Inspired to help? Start a fundraiser for someone you know
