APOPKA, Fla. – Alma Fletcher turned to News 6 and Make Ends Meet for help securing a working electric hospital bed for her 25-year-old paralyzed daughter, when she had already been waiting for Medicaid assistance for more than a year.
“It doesn’t mean anything to them,” she said. “No empathy, no empathy.”
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Fletcher contacted News 6 two weeks ago and demonstrated how the electric bed already provided by Medicaid was not operating properly and needed to be replaced.
“It’s broken,” she said.
As News 6 first reported, Fletcher presented a doctor’s prescription to Medicaid earlier this year that stated a replacement bed was “medically necessary.”
Her daughter, Danielle Sampson, was just 15 when she was hit by a stray bullet from the gun of a burglar on the run on July 29, 2012. She was in the back seat of her family’s van when a bullet hit her in the head.
She will never walk or talk again.
News 6 contacted veteran Orlando attorney Dan Newlin who had already helped gather community donations to purchase a new home for the family back in June 2018.
“We’ll get her the best,” Newlin promised, after learning of the family’s dilemma.
On Aug. 22, a new state-of-the-art electric bed with battery backup was delivered to the family’s home.
The Newlin firm paid for everything.
“This is getting results, this is what getting results looks like,” a smiling Fletcher said. “After one year to get a bed, what, in two weeks. Oh, my God, that’s awesome!”
As for Newlin’s kindness, Fletcher simply said, “Kudos to Mr. Newlin and kudos to you. Thanks to God and thanks to you guys and all you do for the community. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Fletcher told News 6 she is thinking about founding a nonprofit organization to help other families in need.
If you have an unemployment or financial issue, email makendsmeet@wkmg.com.
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