A trip forward of the vacations for a Calgary couple to calm down earlier than the Christmas chaos resulted in tragedy — which triggered a bureaucratic nightmare.
“They booked enterprise class, they booked diving journeys, they booked all kinds of actually cool issues to do collectively to type of reconnect,” says Meagan Grabst of her mum or dad’s dream trip.
However the unthinkable occurred on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024. Whereas scuba diving, her stepdad Glenn Boyd had hassle respiration and drowned earlier than he might attain the floor.
Three weeks later, Grabst’s mother, Christine Boyd, continues to be in Mexico preventing to get her husband’s ashes and death certificates.
“She’s principally caught there now,” says Grabst.
“We’re simply ready for all of those processes to undergo and attempting to get her house.”
Glenn was cremated at a Mexican funeral house and there’s a $6,500 charge to get his ashes and demise certificates launched.
The cash has been transferred to the house, however the financial institution warns it might take 10 enterprise days for the funds to clear, leaving Christine within the nation for a couple of extra weeks.
“She doesn’t need to go away with out him,” says Grabst.
“She stated, ‘I can’t try this, I’ll sleep on the seaside earlier than I go away with out him.’”
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The longer Christine stays in Mexico, the extra the charges are including up. On high of the invoice for the funeral house, there are the rising lodging prices and last-minute flights as soon as Christine has the ashes, which has the household counting on the generosity of others.
Grabst was capable of elevate $16,000 in 4 days as part of a GoFundMe to assist the prices and a few of that cash already on its manner south.
“Thank God we raised that cash, we wouldn’t have been capable of do it in any other case,” says Grabst. “I actually want Glenn might see the way in which individuals stood up and rooted for him and helped, as a result of he would have by no means requested for something anyone, he at all times gave.”
A GoFundMe set as much as present help after a Calgary man out of the blue died in Mexico.
GoFundMe
Grabst and her mother have reached out to each Expedia, the place the journey was booked, and WestJet, the provider, about altering flights and have been initially met with the response that no help may very well be provided till a demise certificates was offered.
Because the story has turn out to be extra public, each firms have stepped as much as assist.
A press release from Expedia reads, “Our deepest sympathies exit to the Boyd household throughout this time. Throughout our investigation, we contacted WestJet, and their coverage states bereavement fares can be found solely by the airline instantly. In most circumstances, we observe our companion’s insurance policies in terms of these issues, nevertheless, given the state of affairs and the expertise, we might be offering a refund for the return journey ticket to Ms. Boyd to assist throughout this time.
“We’re reaching out to rearrange this along with her instantly. If we might be of any additional help to the Boyd household, we do ask them to succeed in out to our customer support group.“
WestJet, in the meantime, is, “within the means of reaching out to Ms. Boyd to assist prepare a flight again to Calgary for gratis when she is able to return. As well as, when the visitor receives the demise certificates from the Mexican officers, she is going to have the ability to request an Distinctive Circumstance Refund for the unique flights.”
Each firms provided condolences to the household in the course of the troublesome time.
Journey consultants say complete insurance coverage helps cowl most of the surprising prices in conditions like these, whereas contacting the embassy may also help navigate the method out of the country.
For Grabst and her household, this has been a tragic studying expertise, however each she and her mother are grateful for everybody who stepped as much as assist alongside the way in which.
“The individuals on the bottom are those that care, by the GoFundMe in Calgary and even the individuals giving my mother a spot to remain in Mexico.
“These are the individuals who have been serving to us.”
© 2025 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
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