A Texas family is mourning rather than celebrating this week after a couple who would have celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary were found dead inside their mobile home.
Ramona and Monway Ison along with their dog were found dead inside their Baytown home June 16. Their deaths were related to this summer’s intense heat.
“The heat, it’s just not a joke,” the couple’s daughter Roxana Floods told ABC13.
Reportedly the Isons’ air conditioner failed on June 12. They didn’t have any money to fix it, so they spent the week attempting to secure a loan.
The couple’s neighbor and friend, Eddie Phillips, knew they didn’t have air conditioning so he offered them a place to stay, but they declined.
He offered a portable air conditioning unit, and they declined that too.
Their granddaughter, Alexandra Seeser, said it’s possible the couple believed they were a burden, especially since her grandfather had mobility issues.
Several days after their air conditioner stopped working, the couple secured a loan and used some of the money to purchase fans. They also called and scheduled a repairman to come to their home to make the necessary repairs.
“I think they thought that it would be OK,” Floods said.
On June 16, Phillips didn’t see Ramona take her dog out for their morning walk. He became nervous and went to their home to investigate.
“I thought, ‘I better go check on them.’ I banged on the door. No answer. Went over there to the bedroom. Banged on the window. No answer. So that’s why I decided to call the police,” he said.
It was too late.
Ramona, Monway, and their dog were declared dead inside their home.
Now their daughter is hoping her parents’ death will serve as a reminder of the dangers of the heat. She’s also working with several A/C companies to help people like her parents.
“I would love for something to be set up with these large (air conditioning) companies to warn people about how lethal this heat is,” she said. “If they don’t have the money to get their air conditioner fixed, to let them know that they’re literally staying inside an oven.”
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It’s so important to recognize the dangers of heat. We also need to look out for those in our community who are vulnerable and more susceptible to heat-related illnesses.
