Posted on 05/02/2021 11:44:55 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Andre and Melissa Rivenell flew from Australia to Texas in 2019 to spend time with family.
Advertisement More than a year later, they've spent their life savings and are still trying to get back home.
In December, Andre had a stroke and was diagnosed with a disease that doctors think might be ALS. Since then, his health has declined and he's not able to walk, eat or bathe on his own.
The couple now stays in a camper in Melissa's mother's backyard.
Their initial flight home in March 2020 was canceled. Then, Andre said his disability assistance was cut off because the Australian government told him he had been gone for too long.
"I'm slowly dying," Andre told KTRK. "I need to get home. I paid my taxes in Australia, I voted for these people and yet they treat me like this."
When the pandemic hit, Australia closed its borders completely: even to its own citizens. Even as they began reopening, the country enforced a limited weekly cap of people allowed to reenter.
The Rivenells said there are sometimes less than 40 people permitted on one flight, which sent some ticket prices up to more than $10,000.
Although they're registered on a list of almost 40,000 Australians trying to get home, the couple has been denied an emergency government loan twice, despite submitting paperwork to prove Andre's medical condition.
Without any income or health insurance, the couple can't afford the pricey plane tickets. Andre said he just wants to get home before he can't travel anymore.
"God forbid I die here, I don't want to do that because I want to see my son," Andre said.
I believe consulates do help with this sort of thing, if you’re in a position to pay them back.
Germans, French and Brit government did that last year when Covid started up. They even got various airlines to do cut-rate deals and bring their folks home.
I will admit...I’ve never heard a word over New Zealand or Australia in this type of strategy. Adding to this...a typical round-trip ticket (Dallas to Sydney)...runs about $2,500 to $3,000 per seat.
Traveling is expensive. Sometimes traveling BACK is very expensive. People have to consider their level of wealth, and the risks of things going bad.
Read up on early settlers — it puts things in perspective.
Australia’s measures appear harsh, but in the end... They have less than one thousand dead among a population of roughly 25 million and they have only had one or two deaths in the past two months.
Canada on the other hand has a population of roughly 37 million and has lost over 24 thousand. Also, because of our lack of vaccines that number grows daily. Canada like America, allowed it’s own citizens and others to fly into the country without quarantines and quotas. The result... Lots more death.
flight canceled they still have tickets.
Kozak, izzat you?
CC
Got to love government. We live in the era of big governments that solve the problems.
I don’t understand
The airlines canceled their flight ✈️ home and were refunded the money?
This story ain’t right.
The airlines canceled their flight ✈️ home and were refunded the money?
———————
Some airlines are saying 9 months or longer to give refunds on cancelled flights.
It mostly goes into a travel fund. But if you got $2000 in this travel fund and the tickets are $10000, it’s not going to help you much.
Head shake. Idiot.
In Canada, if you are in the United States one day passed max number of days allowed, you lose medical benefits in Canada. That’s why you see Canadian leave a week before the max days allowed just to be sure they get back in time.
These stories are always turtle-on-fencepost stuff.
How do media outlets find these people unless the people unilaterally contact the media?
Anyone seeking publicity through media loses much of the sympathy factor quickly.
Hard to believe story. First, they have overstayed their allowed time in the US with or without a visa. Aussies can travel to the US without a visa for 90 days under the Visa Wavier Program. This period cannot be extended unless there is a change of status. Ergo, this couple is in the US illegally and must be deported.
I don’t see how the Aussie Embassy can deny repatriation of its own citizens. Simple matter of signing an agreement to repay the loan. We do it as a routine matter.
There is more to this story.
They contact press to embarrass and motivate the government.
Wait. You mean putting your faith in government to dole out cradle to grave “entitlements” to you even if you paid your taxes every year is a bad idea? Who knew?
I’m surprised the Australian government or some compassionate Good Samaritan hasn’t already stepped up. That said, however, this is exactly the kind of situation for which travel insurance was invented. I never bothered with it when I was younger — and that could have been a very expensive oversight had something happened — but I’ve reached the point at which it is simple prudence. I wouldn’t travel overseas without it. It’s not very expensive, and it’s good to know that high quality medical care abroad and a very expensive medical evacuation flight are covered, along with many other contingencies. A heart attack or stroke in Nairobi, Buenos Aires, Rome or New Delhi, no problem.
Governments have certain obligations to its citizens abroad. Holding a US passport requires our diplomatic missions to protect them. Our consular officers are tasked with helping our citizens abroad. Having spent 28 years as a foreign service officer, I can attest to the lengths we will go to assist our citizens, including providing means to evacuate them from dangerous circumstances. It is an obligation, not an entitlement.
108 illegal immigrants released by Border Patrol in Texas test positive for coronavirus, officials say
Texas city says it doesn’t have authority to prevent migrants who test positive from traveling elsewhere
https://www.foxnews.com/us/108-migrants-released-border-patrol-texas-positive-coronavirus
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