TRINITY, Fla. – A household within the Tampa Bay space is outraged after an 83-year-old man was discovered useless within the walk-in freezer of an assisted residing facility.
William Eugene Ray, 83, also referred to as ‘Gene,’ was residing at The Waverly Assisted Dwelling and Reminiscence Care in Trinity. About two weeks in the past, although, his household mentioned he went lacking from his room and was present in a walk-in freezer.
His household is demanding solutions about how this occurred.
What they’re saying:
Kristen Spencer mentioned her father, Gene, was a relaxed, humorous and supportive husband and father to his two grownup youngsters. She mentioned her father beloved taking part in the harmonica.
“He was humorous,” Spencer mentioned. “He was creative, very artistic, at all times pleased, at all times smiling, pleasant to everybody.”
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Gene was a proud 36-year veteran of the U.S. Navy.
“He, you understand, by no means raised his voice,” Spencer mentioned. “He was simply so hardworking. , his work ethic was unimaginable.”
Spencer mentioned her father was nonetheless bodily energetic, however had began to point out indicators of dementia.
“Mentally, the dementia, you understand, it was simply progressing,” she mentioned.
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In Could, Gene’s household made the tough resolution to maneuver him into The Waverly, to get him the extent of care he wanted.
“There was no points proper firstly,” Spencer mentioned. “As time progressed, although, you see, whenever you’re there on a regular basis, you see issues, and so that you see these little issues that begin to ship up issues.”
What we all know:
Among the many issues his household had have been issues about staffing on the facility.
“You place your beloved in there with belief,” she mentioned.
Spencer put in a Ring digital camera in her father’s room to control him when she could not be there. In latest weeks main as much as his dying, she seen her father appeared extra confused. One night time about two weeks in the past, Spencer seen he was performing abnormally.
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“I awakened the following morning and after I regarded on the Ring digital camera, the sunshine was on, and he was not in his room,” she mentioned.
In a panic, Spencer known as her mom, then known as The Waverly to alert workers and raced to the power. She mentioned extra time handed, till a workers member informed them they’d discovered Gene.
“However then the following phrases out of her mouth was, ‘He is within the freezer,'” Spencer mentioned. “And I mentioned, ‘What do you imply he is within the freezer?'”
Spencer mentioned her father was present in a walk-in freezer within the facility. The Pasco Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned it responded to the power at round 8 a.m. Pasco County Hearth Rescue responded and transported him for medical therapy, the place he was pronounced useless.
The sheriff’s workplace mentioned preliminary data exhibits the incident was unintended and that no foul play is suspected.
Dig deeper:
In accordance with state information, Wellness Heart of Trinity LLC is the proprietor and licensee of The Waverly, and has been since 2018.
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“We want solutions, we’d like solutions,” Spencer mentioned. “How might this occur?”
Spencer mentioned she went again and reviewed the Ring digital camera footage, and noticed her dad get off the bed and depart his room round 12:30 a.m. Which was hours earlier than he was discovered.
“If we had not known as the power, when would they’ve discovered them?” she mentioned.
Gene’s household needs to see motion taken to enhance security measures on the facility, and to verify this by no means occurs once more.
“That no different household should endure what my household has endured,” Spencer mentioned. “Primary security measures not in place. When you might have susceptible individuals in a spot, you must safe these areas.”
The opposite aspect:
FOX 13 reached out to The Waverly, and a spokesman shared the next assertion:
“The Waverly Assisted Dwelling & Reminiscence Care is conscious of a latest report relating to an incident at our neighborhood. Out of respect for privateness and in compliance with regulatory pointers, we’re unable to share particular particulars nor will touch upon the cognitive ranges of any particular person resident. Nevertheless, we can’t settle for a false narrative being pressed upon our residents and their households. When unmoderated, nameless, non-factual evaluations go unchecked they turn into notion. That notion undermines how onerous each member of The Waverly household works to offer high quality of life, enjoyment, and a beautiful place to name residence. Â
The protection, dignity, and well-being of our residents is — and at all times will probably be — our highest precedence. We now have by no means skilled an incident of this nature within the a few years of working within the Assisted Dwelling area. Our neighborhood is deeply saddened by this heartbreaking loss. The grief felt by our whole workers is indescribable. We’re actually pleased with our workers’s profound and instant response to the scenario and grateful for his or her continued compassion, dedication and professionalism. We stay assured within the excessive degree of service, consolation, and care we offer our residents as one of many premier assisted residing and reminiscence care communities in Florida.
So there isn’t a room for misinterpretation, we have now and shall stay in full compliance with native, state, and federal rules. Most of the people will probably be shocked sooner or later when sure elements are applicable for dialogue in public discussion board.Â
Residents in our Assisted Dwelling neighborhood of the Waverly have a proper to independence, and as that is their residence, count on freedom of their day by day lives and routines.
We stay dedicated to transparency, accountability, and offering the best normal of care to those that name the Waverly residence.
We lengthen our deepest sympathies to all these affected and reaffirm our mission to serve our residents and households with compassion, professionalism, and integrity.”
The Supply: The knowledge on this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Kylie Jones.Â
