With only months left as a “skilled worker” before he would be able to bring his family over from the Philippines, Bonnyville resident Vingilio Morales' dreams were cut short when he died suddenly last month and now area 7-Elevens and Subways are stepping in to help as best they can.
Vingilio Morales, 39, died of a heart attack on Jan. 19. His funeral was the following Sunday (Jan. 22) and staff began raising money that Monday for Morales's family in the Philippines.
“I sent him home at 1:00 p.m. because he wasn't feeling that great,” said Delores Block, manager of the 7-Eleven in Bonnyville where Morales worked.
“He went home and in the evening he played basketball for a little bit, not that much because he wasn't feeling that great. And then all of a sudden he fell over and that was it.”
Block said Morales died of a heart attack.
She added not only had she lost an employee that day but also a “buddy.”
“I've never lost a staff member before. It was very hard, very hard,” she said. Block, who Morales and his friends call “Miss Dee,” helped arrange the funeral, talked to his family and cancelled his trip to visit his family in the Philippines this coming April.
With his death, Morales left behind his seven-year-old son and common-law wife in the Philippines. He lived in Canada for nearly three years, said Block.
He worked at Subway in Cold Lake before starting at 7-Eleven in Bonnyville.
“He worked for me for a year and a half as my category management of fresh food, so he made subs everyday six days a week,” she said. “He went from sales associate to being my assistant manager in two months to become a skilled worker.”
Block said becoming a “skilled worker” was one of Morales's goals since moving to Canada so he could ensure his family could move to Canada with him.
“Once they're a skilled worker, they work one more year and then he's allowed to bring his family here. So that was his goal, to bring them here.”
Block said now that Morales has died, his wife and son would not be able to move to Canada. Stores in the surrounding area have placed donation boxes at their cash registers to raise money for Morales's son and wife in the Philippines.
During his funeral, over $4,000 was raised to go back to the Philippines, explained Block. Canadian money is about 40 times the currency in the Philippines, which would equal about $160,000.
Block said she is hoping the stores can raise another $5,000 to send to Morales's family. As of early February, the Bonnyville 7-Eleven alone had raised nearly $1,400.
“He was very respected and he was so goal oriented,” said Block, who couldn't say enough good things about Morales. “Everything was (for) his family. He was so family motivated, he loved them so much. Everything he did, he took such pride in doing.”
Donations began Jan. 23 and Block said the boxes will be out until Feb. 29.
Stores in Bonnyville, Cold Lake, St. Paul, Lloydminster, Meadow Lake and Wainwright are all participating.
