By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
Lake Orion resident Rachel Olson saw what no parent ever wants to see.
‘I think he knew he was going to go because he kept telling me all of these things, what to do, who to call. But our faith was so strong I always believed everything was possible,? she said.
Her 44-year-old son, Ernesto Flores, passed away August 19 after years of fighting congestive heart failure, leaving Olson and her family in shambles.
Five months behind on rent, no car to transport them to and from work, Olson and her family have been stagnant for the last couple months mourning, and trying to reassemble their lives.
Although the prognosis was not precise, Flores died from complications from a second heart transplant he received on July 3, requiring several surgeries afterwards, dialysis for his failing kidneys, and a mold infection that developed in his lungs.
His first transplant from back in 2005 had been working diligently until the last couple of years, where Flores was in and out of the University of Michigan medical facilities on an almost daily basis, his mother said.
He was admitted full time on June 18 up until his passing.
Since he was admitted, Olson and her other son Eric Horn have been struggling to make ends meet.
Olson has taken a leave from the Kohl’s department store in Rochester Hills the duration of his stay in Ann Arbor, and is currently behind rent for her Lake Orion home by five months, at almost $2,500.
‘Ernesto always took care of us,? Olson said. ‘He would always find a way if we needed money, he was the one who first found me my house in Lake Orion.?
Olson stayed with him day in and day out at the hospital, holding his hand at the end when Flores could no longer speak, giving him kisses if puckered his lips, praying the rosary over his head.
At the end of all of her hospital visits Olson’s car was no longer working, requiring repairs beyond her budget, one of the main reasons she has not been to work since July.
Olson’s grandson and Flores only son, Nicholas Flores has been driving into Lake Orion to help his grandmother out and getting her out of the house, but Nicholas, 23, is still picking his own life back up.?’While his father was alive he coached Nicholas? baseball team, one memory his son will always have of him including his love for the Detroit Tigers.
Upon hearing of Olson’s situation, Rochester Hills resident Katica Blajic contacted The’Review’begging for any kind of help.
Blajic has known Olson and her other son Horn since her son befriended Horn in their teenage years at the apartment complex they both lived in in Auburn Hills.
‘Food was almost depleted in their home last week until I went over there and delivered 11 bags of groceries,? Blajic said. ‘Please help them out, I am crying out for help,? she wrote in an email.
Blajic invited Horn into her home in Rochester Hills so he could be closer to his work at Pennzoil, which he began working at again last week.
But things still aren’t looking that great. Without a car, Olson cannot get to work. Although St. Joseph Vincent de Paul may be securing a new home for Olson in the next couple of months, the money situation is still uncertain.
If Flores was still alive, he would figure out a way. He always did, Olson said.
‘Right now we are just taking it one day at a time. I still talk to him every single day, every night, I still pray for his soul so it will rest in peace,? Olson said. ‘He was the kind of person that was always laughing. You would have never known he was sick. I used to say ‘Neto, you have the biggest heart even though it’s sick.?
Olson said the mass at St. Vincent in Pontiac Aug. 23 was packed. Memorial tributes were made to the online website at’http://www.gofundme.com/Memorial-for-Neto-Flores, which is still up and operating for anyone interested in donating for this family’s hard times.
While Blajic has put her feelers out for local car donations to help get Olson back to work, anyone with the means to donate a car, or knows of an organization to help in this feat, is encouraged to email Blajic at’katica.blajic@yahoo.com.