Buffalo family shelters stranger’s body at their home for a day after she dies in blizzard

Antwaine Parker stated he’ll all the time be in debt to David Purdy and his fiancée, Cassieopia Layhee, for attempting to save lots of the lifetime of his mom, Carolyn Eubanks, and sheltering her physique at their Very best Road house for a complete day. 

“They’re two lovely folks. They didn’t need to let me in,” Parker stated on Tuesday. “I needed to thank Dave and Cassie, two strangers I’ve by no means seen in my life, by no means met. They allowed my mom to relaxation in peace on their front room ground.”

Purdy stated he was heartbroken that he couldn’t do extra to assist Eubanks, 63, and Parker.

“It’s saddening. This girl was six months youthful than my mother. My mother lives a pair blocks away and is on oxygen, and if she wanted assist, I’d hope there can be folks on the market to assist her, as nicely.”

Purdy stated he plans on attending Eubanks’ funeral and can maintain involved with Parker.

“I believe we did make a buddy for all times beneath the worst circumstances doable,” he stated.

Eubanks had a coronary heart situation and wanted electrical energy to run an oxygen machine.

Parker knew his mom wouldn’t survive in her Lovejoy house with no warmth and no electrical energy. Her transportable oxygen canisters had been nearly empty.

Parker stated 911 operators advised him there was nothing they may do to reply within the blinding blizzard.

Realizing it was a danger, Parker and his stepbrother Kenneth Johnson determined to drive Saturday afternoon from Cheektowaga to Eubanks’ Lovejoy house. The journey in regular climate takes lower than 10 minutes by automobile. It took Parker and Johnson seven hours on Saturday, as a result of they frequently encountered caught automobiles that wanted to be pushed out. Parker ended up parking his Jeep Cherokee almost two blocks away from Eubanks’ home as a result of street being jammed up by different automobiles.

Parker and Johnson gathered up Eubanks as finest they may and commenced strolling along with her again to the car. However Eubanks rapidly fatigued.

“She’s like, ‘I can’t go no additional.’ I’m begging her, ‘Mother, simply get up.’ She fell in my arms and by no means spoke one other phrase,” stated Parker.

Parker pounded on a number of Very best Road doorways for assist. Ultimately, Purdy opened his door to the stranger in a ski masks, and when Parker defined what was taking place, Purdy burst exterior in a T-shirt and slippers to assist carry Eubanks inside.

Finally, it took Parker, Johnson, Purdy and one other neighbor – utilizing a child’s sled – to get Eubanks to the porch by snow drifts as excessive as 3 or 4 toes.

Inside, Parker and Purdy took turns attempting to resuscitate Eubanks, however it quickly turned clear that she had died.

When Parker advised his spouse by cellphone what had occurred, she turned distraught and was planning to drive to Very best Road. Parker and Purdy agreed it could be finest for Parker to return instantly to his Cheektowaga house and go away Eubanks’ physique at Purdy’s home, Purdy stated. It could have been too tough to get her physique to Parker’s car, he stated.

Purdy stated he saved the physique lined inside the home, and when energy and warmth returned on Sunday, he moved the physique to his porch to decelerate decomposition. He stated he referred to as Parker to make it possible for was OK.

“I carried out it as respectful as I may,” stated Purdy. The physique remained at his house for about 24 hours earlier than it was taken to Erie County Medical Middle.

Purdy was clearing his driveway Sunday when a gaggle of first responders confirmed up on Very best Road with snowmobiles, a entrance loader, and a pickup truck with a plow.

Purdy yelled out that he had a lifeless physique on his porch, and the primary responders loaded the physique into the pickup.

“They stated her physique was going to ECMC and can be there throughout the hour,” he stated.

Along with her son, Eubanks was survived by 4 stepsons, two stepdaughters and lots of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“She cherished her grandkids, spoiled them rotten,” stated Parker.

Parker stated his mom absolutely would have died in her house alone if he had not tried to rescue her, and he doesn’t remorse his actions.

“I didn’t surrender and let her die by herself. She didn’t die alone. I can reside with that for the remainder of my life, realizing that I fought for my mom. She tried and tried till she couldn’t go any additional,” stated Parker.