John Loaiza Unfortunate Accident

Upon Hurricane Dorian’s arrival and seeing the mass destruction it was causing to the Bahamas , John Loaiza, my father prepared for the worst. After helping 2 of his 3 children secure their houses and family, he went home to start putting up his own shutters with the help of his wife, Maria. They managed to put up the majority of the shutters leaving the second story for last. It was early afternoon when they started to place the shutters on the second story windows. I remember speaking to my mom just that afternoon after they had lunch. She said the weather was nice. It was overcast and there was a nice breeze, the calm before a storm you could call it. She insisted they would be fine to start the shutters on their own and once we got out of work we could swing by and help. That’s the kind of family we are. Unfortunately we didn’t have the opportunity. My father fell off the ladder at about 18-20 feet in the air. My mother said she had turned her back for just a second and he must have lost his footing or his grip on either the stutter or ladder and fell face first onto the paved patio. The ladder almost took my mother with it only missing her by a few inches she said. She quickly turned only to find my father face down in a pool of blood. In a panic she ran and got her phone and called 911. She managed to roll him on his side while bracing his neck to get him to respond. After a few minutes he came to. What my mother will come to find out later is that those efforts saved his life. Once semi conscious she saw the damage to his face and arms/hands were catastrophic. He no longer had a shape of a face but a balloon. His hands were bent backwards at his wrists by his effort to break his fall with his hands and arms. My father at this point had no recollection of what happened or what he was doing prior to. He was rushed to St. Mary’s trauma center where they have taken every measure to save his life. He came in with multiple facial fractures/ breaks. Bilateral wrist/ radial fractures, multiple rib fractures.  He has had 6 surgeries, a few blood transfusions and now lies in the ICU for a long and slow recovery. Those of you who know my father know he is a man who works with his hands. A handyman by profession and excellent cook by night. Both my parents work 6 sometimes 7 days a week and yet always find time to be there when needed. My father loves to have all his family get together. When together we enjoy eating, dancing and laughing. He enjoys having all 5 of his granddaughters (ages 8-3) as much as he can to see them gossip and play.  He is a family man and a hard worker by definition. We, my family and I ask that you help us pray for his recovery. Help us give him the strength he will need to come back to us as he once was. Any donation is very much appreciated as it will help with his hospitalization fees and ultimately his rehabilitation. A sincere thank you to the staff at St. Mary’s ICU and all of you who chose to donate or simply pass along this story. 

The Loaiza Family