The desperate call of a father
The St.Galler Aleks S. tries to bring his sick daughter from Serbia to Switzerland, but for this he lacks over 33,000 francs. How fatherly love and desperation brought the 33-year-old to this situation.
Aleks S.* sits at the large glass table in his apartment, his hands are folded, he tries to smile, but there is concern in his eyes. When he speaks of his daughter in a moment, he can no longer hold back the tears.
Eleven years ago, Aleks left his home country of Serbia and came to St. Petersburg.Gallen. "Hoping for a better life," he says. With his wife Ruza D.* and the two common children succeeded in the family to build up this life.
The couple worked wherever there was work to be done. But then Corona came and they both lost their jobs, which is why they ended up at "Labeplus," an association whose goal is to reintegrate people into the labor market.
With the help of general manager Joe Schmidmeister, who knows the two well, they were able to find permanent employment. Actually, Aleks S. now be overjoyed, but Schmidmeister noticed that something was bothering the man.
"I didn't hesitate for a second"
"In May, Aleks told me about his daughter in Serbia from his first marriage. She was sick, which is why he immediately traveled there," said Schmidmeister. The 13-year-old girl lives with her mother in Vrsac, where she was hospitalized with fever and vomiting. For several days, the girl's condition had deteriorated and, according to Aleks S. not help.
"I then arranged for it to be transferred to Belgrade to a private clinic. Hepatitis A was diagnosed there, and she was treated accordingly," the 33-year-old recounts.
The doctor noticed not only the condition of the girl but also that of her mother, which is why he called in the Youth Welfare Office. The latter determined that the mother was a drug addict and obtained that the child be placed in state care, according to a document obtained by stgallen24.
While the girl's health condition improved, the court wondered what would happen after her stay in the hospital – because she could not go back to her drug-addicted mother.
"There were two options: Either she goes to a children's home or I take sole custody. She is my daughter and I want her with me. Of course I fought for custody because I know how it is in the children's homes there. I signed the papers without hesitation."
With the st.Galler authorities could Aleks S. to get a family member to join you. So he could bring his daughter to Switzerland.
Treatment costs of 47,000 francs
But there's a problem: With the transfer of custody, Aleks committed S. also to the complete assumption of the hospital costs, as it is written in the judgment of the district court of Vrsac. Converted, these amount to just under 47,000 francs – to be paid by the 1. July 2022.
Money that the family S. I can't just shake it out of my sleeve. So they scraped together what little savings they had, asked friends and family for advance payments and donations, and were able to pay for quite a bit already. But there is still another 33,000 francs missing.
"I've seen a lot of people in difficult situations, but this scale is new to me, too," says Joe Schmidmeister. "I have seen Aleks' suffering, his desperation and need, and I simply want to help. That is why we are also calling for donations on behalf of the Labeplus association and the Bild foundation," says Schmidmeister.
Aleks S. Doesn't feel comfortable asking others for money, but sees no other way out. Because in the event that the amount is not paid, the court cancels the custody decision and the child comes into the custody of the state. "Then I lost everything and have to go to court again," he says.
Tuesday, 28. June, the father of the family wants to make the trip to Serbia and wants nothing more than to return with his daughter.