In what has quickly become a favorite holiday tradition of Carlson Law Firm employees, our annual Carlson Cares Christmas Miracles for 2020 have been delivered.
This year, the firm delivered three miracles to families in Bryan, Jarrell and Austin, Texas who have struggled extensively under the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to dealing with the fallout of the pandemic, many of these families have dealt with significant medical conditions that made it difficult for them to care for their families.
The Carlson Law Firm set out on a mission to make Christmas bright for these three families.
The Garcia Family — Bryan, Texas
Nominated by a cousin, the Garcias are a family of five who have been struggling emotionally and financially for a little more than four years, after the family’s patriarch Filiberto was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, MS is a potentially disabling condition that disrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the rest of the body. For Filiberto, the condition has left him unable to communicate and resigned to a hospital bed.
Filiberto’s disability has left him unable to provide for the family. The family has since moved in with his parents, where his wife Aracely provides around-the-clock care for Filiberto, leaving her unable to work. To help make ends meet, Aracely sells food to provide for her children’s and husband’s needs.
Unfortunately for the family, Filiberto’s hospital bed could no longer be adjusted so that he could be properly fed. Aracely was concerned that Filiberto would choke on his food because of the difficulty getting him to properly sit up to feed him.
While the family was grateful to have a roof over their heads, the couple’s young children didn’t have enough beds to sleep comfortably. In fact, for privacy and some semblance of comfort, the couple’s 10-year-old child slept in a spacious closet in the family’s home.
To help this family get through the holiday season and beyond, The Carlson Law Firm purchased a new hospital bed for Filiberto that allows Aracely to reposition him. Additionally, each child now has a bed of their own to sleep in. The firm also ordered a sleeper sofa for Aracely—who slept on a sofa in the room she shares with her husband to care for him through the night.
Further, the children were also gifted toys and warm clothes for Christmas.
The Haskin Family — Jarrell, Texas
The Haskin family first came to the attention of The Carlson Law Firm when 18-year-old Hunter Haskin nominated his father. Hunter described his father as a hard-working man, a veteran and, without ever saying it, an amazing father. Seeing the financial struggle that his parents have endured in 2020 has left Hunter with a drive to join the U.S. Marines to ensure his parents never struggle again.
A week later, Cyndi Haskin, Hunter’s mother, sent in a Christmas Miracle nomination form for Walter. Neither Hunter nor his mother knew that the other nominated Walter.
Walter Haskin is a retired veteran turned truck driver who was diagnosed with colon cancer in January of this year after a trip to the ER. Walter has been out of work since January of 2020. As the sole provider for the family, Walter’s diagnosis has left the family reliant on GoFund Me donations and contributions from the couple’s older children. Walter has undergone one round of chemotherapy, a surgery which led to an infection and another surgery, which led to another infection.
Despite having an education, Cyndi made the decision years ago to stay home with the couple’s children and one grandchild they’re raising. With Walter’s health struggles, she sat the children down in October to tell them they might not have a Christmas this year.
To assist the family, The Carlson Law Firm provided help with their bills, presents for each child under the tree and a gift card to purchase a holiday meal.
To learn more about the Haskin family or make a donation, visit their GoFund Me: https://gf.me/u/yvyfiu
The Hernandez Family — Austin, Texas
Jose and Wendy Hernandez were nominated by an aunt. The young couple has overcome several obstacles within the past year. First, Jose nearly lost his life from a MRSA infection. He spent three months in the hospital—in a coma for one of those months. Jose works as a gardener to provide for his family. Still, the lingering effects of his MRSA infection make it difficult for him to work.
In addition to Jose’s condition, both of the couple’s daughters live with medical conditions. Their youngest child has had multiple heart and head surgeries and has to eat through a tube. Because of her condition, Wendy cannot work and stays home taking care of the girls and ensuring they make it to their medical appointments. Because of COVID, many of the girls’ appointments have to be done through Zoom.
To make their holiday bright, The Carlson Law Firm purchased gifts for the children, bought Wendy a laptop to make the Zoom appointments for their daughters easier and paid their rent for the next three months.
Carlson Cares
For many families, the holiday season doesn’t bring much cheer. This time of year can be costly and lead to significant stress for those on a tight budget. For the families we helped this year, The Carlson Law Firm helped by taking away the uncertainty of knowing what to prioritize. Our goal each year is to make Christmas a little less stressful and a little more magical. With Carlson Cares, the spirit of the holiday season is not lost.
