A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Ruby Punzalan, a community member and an employee who suffered severe injuries when a car crashed into the A&W Restaurant on Marine Drive in March. The accident caused hot cooking oil to spill and severely burn Punzalan.
Ruby Punzalan, who has been an area manager at The Friendship Food Company for over 11 years, sustained burns on over 20% of her body and is currently undergoing extensive medical treatment. Following the accident, she was transported to Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), where she remains in the intensive care unit on life support, sedated in a medically induced coma. Once she wakes from the coma, she will be moved to VGH’s burn unit for further treatment and rehabilitation.
Punzalan is expected to stay at VGH for several months as she recovers. She is supported by her husband, Renel, her mother, Victorina Ibarra, her two children, Elijah (15) and Ayia (13), and her extended family, who have been by her side throughout this ordeal.
The GoFundMe campaign, organized by her employer Roger Milad and her colleagues at The Friendship Food Company, aims to alleviate the financial burden on Punzalan’s family. The funds raised will help cover the costs associated with her hospitalization, rehabilitation, and the expenses her family incurs while supporting her during her recovery.
“Ruby is a kind-hearted and amazing person, and we are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love and support we’ve received so far,” said Milad. “We want to ensure that her family can focus on being there for Ruby without the added stress of financial worries.”
Contributions to the GoFundMe will be used primarily for family expenses, medical rehabilitation costs, and other needs arising from the uncertainty of her long recovery journey.
Won’t ICBC cover her recovery?
My boyfriend had an accident when he was hit while fuelling his motorcycle. A man in the car in front of him backed up into him, knocking him and his motorcycle onto the ground with gas spewing everywhere. The man took off, even though a bystander got its license plate number, but the police cannot find the driver. My boyfriend didn’t get any money from ICBC for his medical treatments, which were extensive, and had difficulty getting money from them to pay for the repairs on his motorcycle. My boyfriend received NO medical support from ICBC. In no way was my boyfriend responsible for this accident. His accident occurred one week before the no-fault insurance came into effect. ICBC is a thief.