In the city of Miami, preparations are underway to bid farewell next week to the little Geobel Damir Ortiz, who passed away in the City of the Sun after several years of unsuccessful treatments and inadequate medical care on the island.
The activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia confirmed on her social media that exiled Cubans will be able to say their final goodbye to Damir on Sunday, April 20, at Caballero Rivero funeral home, in Hialeah.
The funeral services will take place from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, during which people will be able to mourn for the boy, who arrived in the United States in critical condition on March 12, following an intense fundraising campaign led by his mother and supported by several activists and doctors, who dedicated their hearts and substantial effort to save the life of the little one.
The funeral home is located at 373 W 9th St #377, in Hialeah, Salcedo detailed, and he thanked the company's staff for their professionalism.
The ashes of the Cuban child will remain in Miami, where his mother, Eliannis Ramírez, has requested political asylum.
Salcedo Verdecia, one of the main advocates for the transfer of the minor from Cuba to receive specialized medical treatment, recently revealed that Ramírez filed a political asylum application due to fear of reprisals against him for denouncing everything he experienced.
Damir was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 at the age of two and he suffered from multiple health complications, but his condition worsened after contracting a bacteria in Cuba, which triggered a widespread sepsis and, ultimately, multi-organ failure.
He arrived in the United States in critical condition after a strenuous fundraising campaign. The minor did not die from the underlying disease, but from an infection caused by resistant bacteria, exacerbated by the lack of access to appropriate antibiotic treatment in Cuba, as explained by Dr. Miguel Ángel Ruano Sánchez.
The case of the young deeply shocked the Cuban community both on the island and abroad, and his story highlighted the shortcomings of the Cuban healthcare system, as well as the bureaucratic hurdles that families face in accessing quality medical care.
Frequently asked questions about the case of the Cuban boy Damir Ortiz
When and where will the funeral services for Damir Ortiz be held in Miami?
The funeral honors for Damir Ortiz will be held on Sunday, April 20 at the Caballero Rivero funeral home, located at 373 W 9th St #377, in Hialeah. The ceremony will take place from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, allowing the Cuban exile community to bid their final farewell to the little one.
What was the cause of Damir Ortiz's passing?
Damir Ortiz passed away due to severe sepsis caused by a resistant bacteria he contracted in Cuba. These types of infections are particularly dangerous due to the lack of adequate antibiotic treatment on the island, highlighting the shortcomings of the Cuban healthcare system.
Why won't Damir's mother, Eliannis Ramírez, return to Cuba?
Eliannis Ramírez has sought political asylum in the United States and fears returning to Cuba due to potential reprisals for publicly denouncing the medical negligence her son suffered. Damir's ashes will remain in Miami, as his mother has decided to stay in the country after requesting international protection.
What role did Cuban civil society play in Damir's transfer to the United States?
The Cuban civil society was fundamental in facilitating Damir's transfer to the United States, as it led an intense fundraising campaign that made it possible to finance the air ambulance journey. This collective effort highlighted the solidarity of the Cuban people in the face of the deficiencies and bureaucratic obstacles of the island's healthcare system.
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