The Riley Family
The family is the Riley family. Michael is a former City of St Augustine Firefighter who has Early Onset Alzheimer’s and Encephalopathy with Rapid Decline and is totally disabled and requires 24/7 care. His wife Lani and son Sean are his caregivers and help this former firefighter with his activities of daily living. Mrs. Riley lives on Michael’s disability check and lives from paycheck to paycheck trying to make ends meet while caring for her husband. They often must decide between paying her health insurance bill or getting her brakes fixed. She is also emotionally and physically exhausted with caring for her husband 24/7. She currently takes Michael to the Council on Aging twice a week for four hours. On the one day of rest she has to clean the house and on the other day she has to do the household shopping leaving no time for herself.
The Krewe of the 13 stepped in and paid 6 months of her healthcare and 6 months of an additional care at the Council on Aging giving her not only some financial peace of mind but also some needed emotional peace of mind.
Here is what Mrs. Riley had to say about the Krewe of the 13; “I never thought I would have reason to say ‘Pirates paid my premiums’. My family has been humbled by their awesome display of generosity and compassion. Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s is all consuming with the added burden of early onset our entire family has had to sacrifice to stay at home and care for Michael. The pirates have given me peace of mind by paying my health insurance premiums. The Krewe of 13 have also sponsored Michael to attend the Council On Aging. The COA Sunshine Center is a safe haven for Michael and gives me a respite to either finish my household chores or take a nap from the sleepless nights. Michael enjoys his time at the COA as they keep him entertained and engaged which is something I don’t always have the energy to do. My family is grateful beyond words that the Krewe of the 13 have extended their kindness to us and given us an opportunity to have two less worries in our lives during these difficult times. Thank you so much Krewe of the 13!”