Rodney White, second from left, with family. Screenshot via GoFundMe
Local photographer Rodney White is believed to have suffered a stroke Monday while on a work trip in Mexico.
Why it matters: The Cancun-area hospital where White was transported would not accept his health or travel insurance, his brother-in-law, Chas Pope of Ankeny, tells Axios.
Unable to pay $16,000, Pope says, White was returned to his hotel room even though he could not speak, talk or walk.
State of play: Bing Bang, White's employer, then agreed to cover some of the immediate hospital costs so medical care could resume, according to Pope.
The family believes White was in his hotel bed for about 10 hours before being returned to the hospital.
What's next: The family is working with a U.S. consulate for emergency accommodations to return White to Iowa. The transport could exceed $45,000, Pope says.
Tina, White's wife, was traveling to Mexico yesterday to help care for him, she posted in a response on a private DSM Register alumni Facebook page.
What we're watching: Pope says White was in an intensive care unit as of yesterday afternoon and doctors did not believe he was yet stable enough to travel.
A GoFundMe page established by Pope has raised about $14,000
Update: White was medically evacuated via a flight Friday morning from Mexico to a DSM hospital.
Bing, Bang, his employer, covered up-front expenses, the company said in a statement to Axios.
White’s vitals were good, a family spokesperson told Axios Friday.
Editor's note: White is a former photographer for the Des Moines Register where he previously worked with Jason and Linh. This story has been updated throughout.
