The Weaver Family

Who is Marvin Schur?  He was a World War II veteran, a pattern maker, and a widower.  He was 93.  He died a slow, painful death from hypothermia.  He died unnecessarily.

Marvin Schur lived in Bay City, Michigan.  He was found January 17, frozen to death in his home in sub freezing temperatures, by his neighbors.  It seems Marvin got behind in his electricity bill payments; four months behind and somewhere to the tune of $1100.   What is interesting is that the neighbor that found Marvin’s body said that there was money paper clipped to the bills.  So a worker from Bay City Electric Light and Power was told to place a electric limiter on Mr. Schur’s home on January 13.  Apparently this worker never made contact with Marvin to tell him what he was doing, or to make sure he knew how to use this device or what to do if it quit operating.

Now the question is who is responsible?  And I would like answers to some questions.

1. If Bay City Electric Light and Power already left Marvin fall so far behind in his bill, why did they bother to even put a limiter on his home?  Why did they not contact him and find out why he hadn’t paid his bill.  Remember his neighbor said that there was money attached to the bills to be paid.
2. When Bay City Electric Light and Power had the limiter put on Marvin’s home, why did they not make sure that the worker contacted Marvin and explain what was happening.  If the worker contacted Marvin and saw that there was a lack of understanding or that there was dementia further steps could have been taken to get help.
3. Why did Bay City Electric Light and Power feel the need to even cut back on his power during the coldest part of the year.  After four months of non-payment they finally decided to take action against a 93-year old man?  This is a man who most likely has limited mobility and can’t get out easily.
4. Bay City is supposedly a small town atmosphere.  Where were his neighbors?  They felt free to check on him after a couple of days, but by then it was too late.  They knew he was an elderly gentleman.  Winters in that area are hard on anyone, let alone a 93 year old man.

Reading the two articles Bay City Man Freezes to Death and Marvin Schur’s Death Preventable, I am forced to the conclusion that no one will probably be held accountable.  Why?  Because legality, and moral/social obiligations often are on two separate tracks.  The power company most likely did nothing legally wrong.  But morally and socially,  that’s a different story.  And the community.  They were absent too.  That is the worst part of the story.   Everyone’s pointing fingers, no one is going to accept the blame.

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