Calgary woman stranded in Mexico after husband dies on diving trip
A Calgary woman is trying to return home after her husband died while diving in Mexico, leaving her stranded and facing financial hardship.
Glenn Boyd, 56, died Dec. 20 while diving with his wife, Christine, in Playa del Carmen. Christine says Glenn started struggling when they surfaced and despite the efforts of her and a dive instructor, he couldn't be revived.
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"I could see he was having trouble breathing as we were going up, and we couldn't get him out of the water in time," said Christine Boyd. The couple had traveled to Mexico on December 15 and returned on December 27. Since Glenn's death, Christine has been fighting with the Mexican authorities to have Glenn's remains returned to them with a death certificate.
It cost him $6,500 to pay for his ashes and a certificate, which he has yet to see. The flight was booked through travel group Expedia, with flights provided by WestJet.
Boyd says she reached out to both of them ahead of her return date, as well as her husband's lender, but her death complicated the compensation process.
Christine's daughter, Meagan Grabst, started a GoFundMe campaign (opens in a new tab) that has raised more than $16,500 to help her mother with unexpected expenses, including hotel stays, transportation, cremation costs, a possible flight home and an upcoming memorial service in Calgary. . .
"It was just one expense after another, and I was trying to deal with everything and get my mom home," Grabst said.
"There was no compassion, nothing at all. When I called them to say my dad had died on a trip he bought for them, they didn't care."
Christine says she's been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support she's received from friends and family.
"I know Glenn was always there to help others, but I was surprised by how many people cared about him," she said. "I'll be back and he'll be there."
Christine is urging travel companies to show more compassion and understanding in similar situations.
"I would hate to guess what anyone else is going through and I hope no one ever has to go through this," she said.
"Our deepest condolences go out to the Boyd family at this time," an Expedia spokesperson said in a statement. "During our investigation, we contacted WestJet and their policy states that lost fares are only available directly through the airline. In most cases, we follow our partner's policies regarding these matters, but given the situation and experience, we will refund Ms. Boyd's return ticket to help her through this time."
Expedia says it is trying to contact Boyd to confirm this.
As for WestJet, it is helping Boyd reschedule a return flight to Calgary at no cost when she is ready to return.
"Once the customer receives the death certificate from Mexican authorities, they will be able to request a refund under extraordinary circumstances for the original flights," the statement said.
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