BAYTOWN, TEXAS: A Texas couple, just a few weeks away from celebrating their 52nd wedding anniversary, died after their home's air conditioner malfunctioned during a blistering heatwave. The bodies of Monway Ison, 72, and Ramona Ison, 71, were found on June 16 at their Baytown residence close to the body of their pet dog. Their air conditioner unit broke down just four days prior to the couple's death after enduring weeks of soaring temperatures.
The Isons reportedly tried to secure a loan for the following week to fix the air conditioner since they lacked the money to afford the repair costs, which are estimated to be between $1,400 and $1,600. Unfortunately, the loan was approved on June 15, and when the repairman arrived at the couple's residence the following day, they were already found dead and under the examination of doctors.
Who were Monway and Ramona Ison?
The bodies of Monway and Ramona were discovered inside their Baytown mobile home along with their dog on June 16. "They kind of never had to spend the day apart," their daughter, Roxana Floods, explained. According to medical examiner's office data, Monway and Ramona's fatalities are two of at least seven in Harris County since June that have been linked to heat, as per ABC13. "It's been devastating to our family. The heat, it's just not a joke," Floods stated.
Eddie Phillips, a friend and neighbor, claimed that the couple always had others' best interests in mind. Since the friend lacked a vehicle, Ramona frequently drove him to his doctor's appointments. In return, he was ready to assist the pair. He made the offer to let them remain in his house. He presented a portable air conditioner, but the couple turned it down. "They wouldn't take it," he stated.
Roxana Floods' father had mobility problems
Floods claimed that her father had mobility problems, and she thinks it made him wary of leaving the house. "I think that played a part," said Alexandra Seeser, the couple's granddaughter, adding that the couple often felt like they were a burden. Floods went on to state that her mother bought fans with some of the funds. Moreover, the daughter expressed that as the couple grew up without air conditioning and were usually accustomed to laboring in the heat, "They thought it would be OK."
'Don't be too proud to ask for help'
The couple was pronounced dead inside the house by the medical examiner as the repairman arrived to make repairs that day. "They were gathering their things to leave. The way that they were found, I think they decided that it was too hot and it was time to go and it was just too late. I've read about how disorienting the heat can be at that point, how exhausted you can feel, what to watch out for, and I don't really think they knew what to watch out for," Floods explained. She hopes sharing the story of her parents may stop additional people from dying due to the excruciating heat. She remarked, "Everybody that I talk to, I tell them to tell their parents, 'Don't be too proud to ask for help'," as per ABC13.
