Here's a bittersweet tale of a young woman who was estranged from her father but always wanted to get back in touch with him. Now, unfortunately for both father and daughter, it's too late.
Alaina Emery, 25, of Houston Texas received an email that asked is "is your father's name Robert Emery? The whole city of Houston is looking for any relatives." That email started an exchange that ended with Alaina finding out that her father had lost his life while rescuing 3 dogs who were stranded in the emergency lane during hurricane Ike.
Emery had been estranged from her father who was a drug addict but wanted to get back in touch with him and get to know him again. His addiction destroyed his marriages and separated himself from his family, also costing him his career as a construction worker. Her father had been going through a difficult time and was recently kicked out of a rundown trailer. His last act was to become an "Ike relief worker." His co-relief workers liked him but knew nothing about his past.
When the news got out that this man had traded his life to save the 3 dogs he became a hero. But, not having any evidence that he had a family, he was going to be buried in a pauper's grave. A woman who developed a skill to track people down is the one who contacted his daughter Alaina and things went from there.
Said Alaina, "I am very saddened that I could not find him in life, but somehow he found me in death," Emery told the Houston Chronicle by phone. "I wanted to hug him, to meet my son."
Animal lovers in the Houston area have vowed to give Emery a proper burial.
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The Houston Chronicle online.
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