Filipino Caregiver, Allen Belaguas, died after Saving a Couple in Naperville
Naperville, IL - A Filipino Overseas Worker (OFW) recently died after attempting to save a couple from a house fire in the suburban city of Chicago. The OFW was identified as Allen Belaguas, 21 years old, of the 9100 block of Franklin Court, Orland Park. He was pronounced dead on Sunday at 5:35 p.m.
In a report, the Filipino live-in caregiver sustained major injuries and suffered severe smoke inhalation in the fire which occurred on December 18, 2013. For nearly two months, Allen Belaguas was in comatose and he was in intensive care until his death on Sunday at a Rainbow Hospice facility.
According to all accounts, Allen initially escaped the blaze. However, he "came back to save the couple" whom he was caring. The couple, 57-year-old Tom Lamberts, a brain cancer patient, and 56-year-old Jan, who was blind died after the second floor collapsed into the basement of their house.
A report of DailyHerald said Belaguas had just been working there for eight days when the fire broke out at around 6:50 a.m. on December 18. Despite Allen's heroic failed attempt to save the couple, his mom lauded him for doing his job, the report added.
Allen's family and his close relatives described him as a "fun-loving, caring and adventurous" person who loved music and photography. He was also a certified nursing assistant in a nursing home before he became a live-in caregiver of the Lamberts in Naperville.
Meanwhile, Belaguas' relatives in Cagayan de Oro are facing difficulties for the immediate repatriation of his remains. They are also having major problems in getting any benefit from the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration (OWWA). According to sources, Allen was not a member of the organization. Having that said, welfare officer III of OWWA-10 Eugene Mesias mentioned the agency can assist with the repatriation, but Belaguas won't receive a single benefit from OWWA.
“Kung di sya member ng OWWA, wala syang makukuhang benefits, pero matutulungan naman namin sila sa repatriation through referral. Kailangan lang nilang pumunta sa DFA para mag-execute ng affidavit of acceptance of human remains,” Mesias said.