PINEVILLE, N.C. — A man from Pineville has a long road to recovery after being struck by lightning, and now his family is trying to figure out how to move forward.
“His state right now is critical. They don’t know how long it will take to recover,” Mariela Calvas told Channel 9’s Eli Brand.
She’s talking about her cousin, Juan Jose. He went to Winston-Salem for a work trip to paint a home. Soon after he stepped out of his car, Calvas says lightning struck a dumpster near where he was standing, putting Juan Jose into cardiac arrest.
“It’s really hard. He’s the head of the household. He has a one-year-old baby and a 14-year-old daughter,” Calvas said.
A paramedic who happened to live nearby did CPR to keep Juan Jose alive while an ambulance was on the way. He was taken to a hospital, but it could be up to a year before he fully recovers.
Calvas says her cousin, his wife and their two children use his income to pay all of their bills in Pineville. She can’t help but think of him.
“He is a loving father, husband and amazing family member. You can count on him for everything. He’s never going to say no to you. If you ask for a favor he will be like, ‘Yeah, I’ll be there’,” Calvas said.
Now, his wife is forced to drive two hours from their home in Pineville to the hospital in Winston-Salem to see him every day. Calvas says the family needs help and a quick recovery.
“We all love him and we are just in shock with this situation,” Calvas said.
If you would like to help the family, click here.
(VIDEO: Pineville nonprofit calls on community for help due to federal funding cuts)
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