First up tonight, a Corpus Christi family divided over money.
Money raised to help pay for medical expenses for one of them who needs a kidney transplant.
It raises the question; who does the money belong to?
The people who put the benefit on, or the person who’s sick and needs it?
In April, doctors told 22-year-old Adam Trevino, a father of 2, that he needs a kidney transplant.
He’s on a national transplant list.
In May, Adam’s aunt, Amanda Sanchez, says she held a benefit and raised $2500.00 to help with Adam’s medical expenses.
She estimates there’s still $800.00 left.
“I have that still. We still use some of it for things that have come up since we put that benefit on in May,” Sanchez told the Troubleshooters.
In June, Adam’s sisters and brothers held another benefit for him.
Adam and Amanda believe $5000.00 was raised.
They just haven’t seen it or counted it.
In fact, they called the Troubleshooters because they don’t know where the money is.
Adam says he received a text message from one of his sisters that read in part ‘Adam, this money is in a trust fund for a specific reason and has nothing to do with your aunt.’
“You think they still have the money ?” we asked him. “Not sure. We asked for proof and they still haven’t shown us anything. They won’t talk to us.”
To back up what she’s claiming, Sanchez showed us certified letters she’s sent to Adam’s sisters, asking about the money.
Both sides acknowledge they spoke briefly last night about possibly donating the money to the kidney foundation.
Today, one of Adam’s sisters’ husbands, a guy named Mike Shaw, called us.
“Where is the money now ?” we asked. “Somebody has it still in the same container, like an empty pickle thing that we put all the money in that for the fundraiser,” he replied.
And it’s a little more than $ 3000.00? It’s not $ 5000.00?
“It is not $5000.00,” he said. Shaw adds that this has divided Adam’s family.
And that’s sad.
Sanchez says even though Adam has told her to stay out of it, she won’t, until she’s sure the other family members don’t have the money.
“You’re a father of 2. Yes, sir. Husband for all practical purposes. And now you have this on your shoulders as well. That’s an awful lot for a 22-year-old. It’s real stressful with everything going on,” Trevino told us.
There is some good news here.
One of Adam Trevino’s sisters is a kidney match, so that transplant could happen soon.
And both sides are considering using the money in question to help pay for Adam’s insurance.
