Brandon Twp.- Caring for an elderly parent can often be a challenge. And for local resident Brigett Briggs, 54, the challenge seems to get more difficult each day.
Brigett, an only child, was raised in Neuhof, Germany about 50 miles north of Frankfurt and lived with her father, Horst, and mother Waltraud Wehr.
At 18, Brigett married Carl Briggs, an American Citizen who then was stationed in Germany with the United States Army. The couple moved to Waterford then to Brandon Township. The couple have resided in the United States about 35 years.
At 59, Horst died in 1979 leaving Waltraud alone in Germany, except for a cousin who stayed with her.
As years pas, Waltraud’s health began to steadily deteriorate suffering a stroke, contracting a degenerative eye condition and most recently breast cancer. The series of health problems, were treated in both Germany and the United States.
‘Since I’m the only daughter, I just wanted to help my mom,? said Brigett. ‘Her health was failing rapidly and she was in another country.?
Although a cousin stayed with Waltraud helping with her needs, Brigett knew more had to be done to care for her mother.
‘Mom was just about legally blind and was recuperating from cancer,? said Brigett. ‘I knew at this point she just could not stay alone anymore.?
After frequent trips to Germany in November 2002, Brigett flew to Germany to bring her mother back to Michigan for the winter.
‘At this point her health was going fast and in February of this year I knew it was time for mom to live here with us for good.?
So, in April the two flew back to Germany to sell Waltraud’s home and possessions prior to moving to the United States to stay.
On April 18, the two made the eight and one-half hour flight from Frankfurt to Metro International Airport before a connecting flight to Bishop Airport in Flint. An immigration official recognized on Waltraud’s visa that she had been in the United States too long and detained the pair at Metro.
‘She’s 83 years old, and they put us through the wringer, the immigration people kept saying, ‘your mom broke the law, and has to go back,? it was just too much for her.?
The rapid deterioration of health posed a unique problem for Brigett and Waltraud. Immigration laws prohibit citizens of other countries from staying in the United States for more than three months. In addition, Waltraud’s health had deteriorate to the extent citizenship was just too long of a process at this point.
‘We filed for naturalization in February. It takes about 2 years, she can’t survive that.?
As a result, the pair flew back to Frankfurt after waiting at Metro for two hours. The return eight and one half hour flight was difficult for both, ‘we were in shock,? added Brigett.
Despite a visit to the American Embassy in Frankurt, which confirmed the refusal to enter the United States, Waltraud remains in Germany awaiting naturalization.
‘We just don’t know how long she may have left,? said Brigett. ‘It’s a tough situation for anyone to be in.?