Friends of the Cebuana wife who was shot dead by her husband in the United States have raised about $9,000 so far to bring her remains back to her family in Pinamungajan town.
The amount will be used to pay for mortuary expenses of Indra Marie Sarong-Jones and airline cargo fees.
“We are just so thankful to all who donated, especially those who don’t even know my sister or our family personally,” Erika Marie Sarong, Indra’s younger sister, told Cebu Daily News.
Indra, 36, was shot dead by her Jamaican husband Avery Lennon Aubyn Jones, 48, following an argument at home at around 5:30 a.m. home in Opelousas, Louisiana on June 16.
As of 2:15 p.m., Philippine time, yesterday, Catherine Miller’s fundraiser on website www.gofundme.com managed to gather $9,106 from 118 donors in two days.
Donations ranged from $10 to $600.
“Due to rising cost in the funeral home where her body is being prepared before all necessary permits, legalities about international shipping of her body to the Philippines, we would like to help out her family with the rising cost of the entire process,” Miller wrote in her page which she created last June 17.
Miller said Sarong-Jones’ was a “good friend, laughing buddy, and her family in the Philippines’ appointed representative in this very sad moment.”
She aims to raise at least $15,000,a portion of which will be given to the bereaved family for other expenses.
“This includes her embalming, body preservation, airlines fees, and all other financial hurdles that the family may encounter until we get her home to rest,” she said.
Miller described her as a “good friend, great daughter, and a great person.”
The fundraising page has drawn the sympathy of relatives abroad, friends, and fellow Filipinos overseas who don’t know Sarong-Jones personally.
“All of us are just trying to be strong for our mother. She’s the one who’s most devastated,” Erika said.
Erika said that their mother, aside from crying, has been weak since news of Indra’s death broke earlier this week and may need to be checked by a psychologist.
“This whole process is going to take long. She hasn’t even had rest yet,” said Erika.
Their mother and father, Basilio, visited Capitol twice this week to seek help for the return of Indra’s remains to the country and will follow up on Monday for updates.
Initially, they have complied with documents required by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
She said two DFA personnel were sent to the US Embassy in Manila to facilitate further steps.
For now, the Sarong family relies on prayers and support from relatives and close friends to cope.