Last week, after a public appeal for help in The News, Stan Lowe was surprised and disappointed by the lack of response.
His wife of 17 years Araceli - a Canadan citizen born in the Philippines - died of diabetes-related complications on Saturday, while Stan was stuck in Parksville trying to get back to her.
Now, on top of loosing his wife, he's $60,000 in debt and still unable to get to the Philippines for her funeral this Saturday.
"In an area like this, it's supposed to be so friendly, I thought there would have been thousands of people coming in to help with a few dollars," Stan said Wednesday, still in shock about his wife.
He had admitted it was a mistake to travel without travel insurance - they were trying to save money by living with her family when his wife's health turned. Then he ended up stuck on the other side of the world watching her slowly die via Skype.
"I couldn't tell you what I'm really feeling," he said indicating it would be rude.
"Frankly, I'm really pissed, I thought Canadians were a giving people, I've given my whole life when I could," he said, including sponsoring children in Mexico and helping family through hard times.
But now, 65 and living on a meagre pension in an RV in a friend's driveway in Parksville, he feels personally hurt by the lack of help when he took the difficult step of asking for it.
An account at the Parksville Royal Bank (transit 04130, account 5049309) is still open in his name if people would like to donate towards the debt and funeral arrangements. He can be reached at 1-250-858-9986 or e-mail seapialtiger@hotmail.com.
