PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Maisha Morales on Ambulance Response Times and Personal Loss
2:25:45
·
6 min
Maisha Morales provided emotional testimony about the loss of her father, Antonio Morales, due to delayed ambulance response and subsequent medical care. She described waiting nearly an hour for an ambulance during a life-threatening emergency, which she believes played a critical role in her father's death.
- Morales shared her father's background as a veteran and community servant, emphasizing his dedication to addressing healthcare injustices.
- She highlighted the financial strain on her mother following her father's death, pointing out broader issues faced by seniors on fixed incomes.
- Morales urged the council to take action to improve emergency response times and provide support for families facing similar hardships.
Santa Morales
2:25:45
Well, my daughter is gonna speak for us today.
2:25:51
Thank you.
Maisha Morales
2:25:53
Because this is emotional for my mom.
2:25:55
So I'm gonna take a little more than 2 minutes because I'm testifying for both.
2:26:01
Thank you.
2:26:05
Good afternoon, and thank you for holding this hearing.
2:26:08
It's extremely important.
2:26:13
One second.
2:26:13
Let me just pull this up, and I'll be emailing you my testimony as well.
2:26:19
My name is Maisha Morales, and I'm here today to honor the memory of my father, a proud boy, a proud New Yorker, Antonio Morales, who dedicated his life to service community injustice.
2:26:37
My father served this country during the Vietnam era, where he realized the profound complexities of war.
2:26:45
Shaping him into the person he became.
2:26:48
Upon his return, he married his childhood sweetheart.
2:26:52
My mother, the love of his life.
2:26:55
Together, they raised 2 children.
2:26:58
My father lived life fully.
2:27:00
Helping everyone he encountered and instilling in me the values that guide me today.
2:27:07
On August 25th, around 2:35 AM, I received a call from my mother who had found my father lying on the floor surrounded by a pool of blood and bloody diarrhea.
2:27:22
We immediately called for an ambulance, knowing he needed urgent care.
2:27:28
As we waited for emergency services to arrive, each minute fell agonizing filled with mounting fear.
2:27:38
To be fair, the 911 operator herself quickly connected us to the emergency medical services, and we were assured an ambulance was on the way.
2:27:50
But it didn't arrive until nearly an hour later, sometime after 3:35 AM, When the ENTs ENTs arrived, there was no sense of urgency.
2:28:05
In fact, they looked like they just woke up from a nap.
2:28:09
They lifted my father onto the gurney without a sheet or a cover to protect his dignity.
2:28:19
When we asked for a sheet, we were told they had none.
2:28:24
After they transported him to the hospital, the der doctors found that his blood pressure was dangerously low and his potassium levels were critically high.
2:28:34
The hospital team initiated a blood transfusion to stabilize his blood pressure so they could proceed with an endoscopy.
2:28:43
But they forgot to bring his potassium levels down in time.
2:28:48
My father went into cardiac arrest, and passed away in the emergency room.
2:28:55
The tragic loss of my father has left my family devastated.
2:28:59
My mother has lost her partner, her lifelong love.
2:29:03
And I've lost my father who raised me to be the person that I am today.
2:29:07
Some of you know me, as a community leader, activist.
2:29:13
Financially, my mother now bears the strain of rent that consumes nearly 95% of her income.
2:29:21
A burden faced by many seniors on fixed incomes who after losing a spouse are pushed into poverty.
2:29:29
Our family's experience shines a light on the struggles of others in our community who face similar losses without adequate support.
2:29:39
My father's life was marked by firm service.
2:29:42
He was a respiratory therapist and later a recreational therapist for Catholic charities.
2:29:48
For persons with disabilities.
2:29:51
And he became a Special Olympics coach for over 30 years even into his retirement.
2:29:57
As a young girl, I remember him speaking passionately about the injustices he saw in healthcare.
2:30:03
Particularly in communities of color where patients often face neglect and inadequate care.
2:30:11
He raised these issues back in the 19 eighties, long before they were publicly acknowledged.
2:30:17
The pain in witnessing this neglect in his field led him to leave respiratory therapy, a profession he loved.
2:30:25
As he couldn't bear the suffering it brought to others and himself, Despite this toll, he continued his life of service in every way he could.
2:30:35
He was an active community member who helped the unhoused, shared from his community garden with anyone in need and treated every person with respect and dignity no matter their background.
2:30:48
He believed in standing up for what's right.
2:30:51
He cared deeply about our community's well-being.
2:30:55
While I'm still waiting to understand the full case of my father's death, which may have involved medical practices medical malpractice as well.
2:31:07
I know that the delay in ambulance services played a critical role.
2:31:14
Waiting nearly an hour for an ambulance during a life threatening emergency is unacceptable.
2:31:21
It's a failure of our system.
2:31:25
No one should have to fear that emergency help will arrive too late to save a loved one.
2:31:32
The men and women in EMS, health care providers and doctors, are entrusted to protect life, not to leave families abandoned in their greatest time of need.
2:31:45
I urge the council to take action.
2:31:48
We need a system that provides timely, equitable care to all investments in emergency response, infrastructure, and supports for families who like mine face financial hardships after losing their primary provider.
2:32:05
My father's life was a testament to kindness, justice, and compassion.
2:32:09
His legacy deserves to inspire change, so no other family member may endure the heartbreak we have faced.
2:32:20
Thank you for your time, and thank you for considering the steps we can take to build a more just in compassionate system.
2:32:31
Thank you.
