Friend Speaks About Family's Recovery From Ebola Diagnosis, Death
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The road to rebuilding their lives for the local family hit hardest by the first Ebola case in North Texas is just beginning.
Louise Troh, the fiancée of Thomas Duncan is not only mourning her loved one, she is starting over with no home and very few possessions. Duncan is the first person to be diagnosed and the only person to die of Ebola on American soil.
Troh spent 23 days in quarantine for fear that she may have contracted Ebola from Duncan. Troh's family lost all their possessions when her apartment was decontaminated and everything inside it was disposed of and burned.
Now that she's out of quarantine, she can't go back to her unit at the Ivy Apartments and is now looking for a new place to live with the help of friends.
Complete Coverage Of Ebola In North Texas
Private donors, churches, and the City of Dallas have pledged to help Troh get back on her financial feet. But the emotional recovery will take much longer.
Saymendy Lloyd, a longtime friend and community activist, is helping Troh get her life back in order. Lloyd has known Troh since she was a refugee of the Liberian War back in the 1990s.
Before the fear of Ebola and before the quarantine order, Lloyd says there was a love affair between Duncan and Troh.
It began when they were both living at a refugee camp in Liberia and they never stopped loving each other, according to Lloyd.
In the late 90's Louise Troh was allowed to leave Liberia, but she always wanted to reunite with Duncan.
"She traveled to the United States. Not forgetting about Eric. Always love Eric," said Lloyd.
"She talks about his respect for women, as a whole. Not only her. His respect for people. His caring ability. He's quiet but strong disposition."
Lloyd says Duncan came to Dallas to visit his son and marry Troh, but he didn't plan to stay in America. He planned to go back, said Lloyd.
"You know, that time of passion, intimacy and love was short-lived."
Lloyd said Duncan did not know he had Ebola until he was admitted into the hospital.
"He would not have put the love of his life, and his child, in such danger. He would have preferred to not enter the shores of America, than to come here with a disease that was so deadly."
Lloyd says Troh is not ready yet to talk about her ordeal on camera. That's because rather than planning her wedding, which was to take place this week, she is planning Duncan's memorial service.
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