🏝️💰 Numba One Stat From Comoros Island: Peace Corps Settle For Big Bucks Ova Volunteer’s Malaria Death
⬇️ Pidgin | ⬇️ ⬇️ English
Get one big kine story buzzing through da coconut wireless, and it’s all about da Peace Corps and how they just wen’ settle one lawsuit for some heavy-duty kala: $750,000! We talking about da sad kind case of Bernice Heiderman, one 24-year-old volunteer who wen’ catch da undiagnosed malaria and died in Comoros, one small African island nation, back in 2018. 🦟😢
Da Heiderman ohana, they stay all hurt and went sue, cause they say da Peace Corps neva give Bernice da right medical kokua she needed. And guess what? Even though da big fed never say they guilty or nothing, they still wen’ cut one check. Das not da kine thing you see every day, bruddahs and sistas. 👀💼
Let me tell you, suing Uncle Sam is like trying to surf 30-foot waves on one toothpick – real tough. But Adam Dinnell, da lawyer for da Heiderman ohana, he neva find one record of Peace Corps ever giving this kind dough before. The Peace Corps been around since da 1960s, trying for spread aloha and good American mana’o all ova da globe. 🌍✌️
Da Peace Corps themselves, they went give one small kine written palapala saying they still sore about losing Ms. Heiderman and they stay serious about making sure every volunteer stay safe and can make big waves in their experience. But das all they said, no mo’ talk, outta respect for da family. 🤐
Dis whole pilikia came out more in da open when The New York Times wen’ talk all about Bernice’s story in 2020. Da poor girl, she wen’ die all by her lonesome in one hotel room after she wen’ text her family how da Peace Corps doktah neva take her health buggahs seriously, you know, like her headache, feelin’ lightheaded, throwing up, and all dat. And later, da Peace Corps inspector general wen’ find plenty pilikia with da care she got.
If only she had da right treatment right when she needed ’em, da inspector general wen’ say she coulda had one quick comeback. But no. 🏥🚫
Back in 2018, afta Bernice wen’ die, Congress wen’ kōkua by passing one law for beef up da medical care Peace Corps gives their volunteers. And da one who wen’ sign ’em into law? President Donald J. Trump, nine months afta Bernice left us. Part of why they wen’ do dat was ’cause The New York Times wen’ dig deep and show how some volunteers, like Nick Castle who wen’ die in China, neva get da right medical help. 📜🖋️
Not too long ago, Peace Corps had to deal with more lawsuits, dis time from peeps who had their invites taken back cause of mental health kine reasons. Da claim? That da Peace Corps wen’ discriminate against ’em by not giving ’em da right kind accommodations. 🧠⚖️
Da Heiderman family, they wen’ bring up two big kine complaints in their lawsuit, so says their lawyer, Mr. Dinnell. They wen’ point finger at da Peace Corps for all junk medical care in Africa. But das not all, they also wen’ throw shade at da Peace Corps medics in Washington, D.C., who wen’ look ova Bernice’s records but neva do nothing about ’em.
And da mom, Julie Heiderman, she stay hot about how da Peace Corps wen’ treat ’em afta Bernice wen’ pass. She wen’ talk story in one interview, how da officials wen’ try make like Bernice was da one to blame cause she neva take her malaria medicine. But da inspector general, he wen’ say das da agency’s fault for not making shua da volunteers stay taking their meds.
Da mom wen’ say it was like getting one slap in da face when they wen’ blame Bernice for not asking to be tested for malaria. But with da settlement, she say it’s like da Peace Corps is akamai now to da fact dat they neva treat da Heiderman ohana right. They not saying “my bad,” but da settlement kind of sound like they get da message, yeah? 🤷♂️💬
So, dat’s da nūhou coming from da land of da Peace Corps and da Heiderman ohana. It’s one sad story, fo’ real, but hopefully, it’s one step closer to betterment
for da volunteers out there spreading da aloha and good stuffs all around dis beautiful honua we call home. 🌺🌎
And das da scoops from da ‘aina, where da talk is not cheap, and da lessons come hard. Shoots, till da next wave rolls in, take care, and give aloha. 🤙🌊
NOW IN ENGLISH
Big Trouble in Island Paradise: Peace Corps Forks Out $750,000 After Volunteer’s Malaria Tragedy 🏝️💰
Word’s getting around fast, and it’s about the Peace Corps handing over a hefty sum of $750,000 to settle a lawsuit. This is concerning the unfortunate case of Bernice Heiderman, a 24-year-old who succumbed to undiagnosed malaria on the African island nation of Comoros in 2018. 🦟😢
The Heiderman family was left with heartache and decided to take legal action, arguing that the Peace Corps failed to provide adequate medical care for Bernice. Although the federal government hasn’t acknowledged any wrongdoing, they’ve decided to make a payout. It’s a rare move, folks, considering it’s like surfing a monster wave on a skimboard when you try to sue the government. 👀💼
Now, finding any previous instances of the Peace Corps dishing out such a settlement is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Since the 1960s, the Peace Corps has aimed to spread peace and goodwill from the U.S. across the world. 🌍✌️
In a short statement, the Peace Corps expressed their sorrow for the loss of Ms. Heiderman and stated their commitment to volunteer safety and success. They’re keeping it brief out of respect for the family, without further commentary. 🤐
This whole mess got more exposure when The New York Times detailed Bernice’s story in 2020. She died in a hotel room, after texting her family about being ignored by her Peace Corps doctor, who dismissed her complaints of headaches, dizziness, nausea, and more. An inspector general’s report later identified numerous issues with the care she received.
The inspector general suggested that with prompt and correct treatment, Bernice could have made a full and speedy recovery. But that’s not what happened. 🏥🚫
Following her death in 2018, the U.S. Congress took action to bolster the medical care provided by the Peace Corps to its volunteers. President Donald J. Trump signed the reform into law, influenced in part by a New York Times investigation into previous medical oversights, including the death of another volunteer, Nick Castle, in China. 📜🖋️
The Peace Corps has also faced recent lawsuits from candidates who had their invitations rescinded over mental health concerns. They’re accused of discrimination for not providing reasonable accommodations. 🧠⚖️
In the wrongful death suit brought by the Heidermans, as their lawyer Mr. Dinnell explained, the family leveled two main accusations: the provision of subpar medical care in Africa, and neglect by medical officials in Washington, D.C., who failed to intervene after reviewing Bernice’s medical records.
Bernice’s mother, Julie Heiderman, shared her frustration about how the Peace Corps handled the aftermath of her daughter’s passing. The agency tried to pin the blame on Bernice for not taking malaria medication, despite the inspector general pointing the finger at the agency for not monitoring the volunteers’ medication adherence.
The settlement, according to Mrs. Heiderman, isn’t what they initially wanted, but it represents a form of acknowledgment of the mistakes made by the Peace Corps. Although an admission of fault isn’t explicitly made, it appears the organization recognizes the mistreatment of the Heidermans. 🤷♂️💬
So, that’s the latest from the world of the Peace Corps and the Heiderman family. It’s a heart-wrenching narrative, but perhaps it’s a step towards improvement for the many volunteers out there, carrying the torch of kindness and goodwill across our shared Earth. 🌺🌎
And that’s the lowdown from the ground, where stories unfold and life’s lessons are learned the hard way. Until the next time, take care and keep spreading the love. 🤙🌊
