Hearing impaired couple have trouble finding help to get off the street – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

(WSVN) – She is deaf and cannot speak. Her husband cannot hear well. They are homeless and cannot communicate well to get off the street, which is why they got in touch with Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser.

Martha is deaf. Let her tell you whats that’s like.

Martha Cano (American sign language): “Not good. Hearing people see me, talk to me, and I can’t understand.”

Her husband Ronald is nearly deaf.

Ronald Cano: “I can’t hear, I’m sorry.”

Together, they’re homeless, in part because of their hearing.

Martha Cano: “Yes, being deaf can be hard.”

Back in July, Ronald got sick, missed a few days of work and came up short in paying the rent. The landlord wasn’t happy.

Ronald Cano (translation): “‘Oh, you are not able to pay the rent? Then get out,’ and they kicked us to the streets.”

An eviction without a notice is illegal, but the couple didn’t know who to turn to. So they packed their clothes in their car, and it became their home.

Martha Cano: “We can’t sleep at night. The mosquitoes keep biting us.

Ronald Cano: “You know, it doesn’t feel safe, either. You can’t sleep thinking that someone can come and get us.”

In fact, when Ronald was at work one day, someone tried to open the car door.

Martha Cano: “What’s going on? I was getting dress. I think someone was watching me.”

Ronald Cano: “If someone attacks her, she is deaf and mute. She couldn’t do anything.”

The homeless shelters are full. To clean up, they head to a park restroom.

Ronald Cano: “I brush my teeth and comb. And we don’t know where we can shower.”

Martha can’t work. Ronald has a job and is saving the money for a security deposit for an apartment, even though Martha says some landlords don’t even want to try to communicate with them.

Ronald Cano: “I think people don’t like us because we’re deaf. They laugh at us, things like that. They mock us for being deaf, and it breaks my heart. No one wants to help me.”

Nowhere to sleep, nowhere to go and no help.

Martha Cano: “Everybody keeps telling us no. I’m so confused; I don’t know how to communicate to find a home.”

And so Help Me Howard went to work.

Dade and Broward shelters are just full. Since Ronald works in Palm Beach, we turned there.

Sasha Lopez took over and got the couple into a shelter.

Martha Cano: “She has been a good friend to us. We are very grateful for her help. She has been beautiful and helpful.”

Sasha is with Palm Beach County’s Community Services. After she got them into the shelter, she started looking for an apartment for the couple … and found this beautiful place.

Sasha Lopez: “We were able to secure first, last security and an additional three months of rent for Ronald and Martha to be able to live here.”

As they moved from their car to their apartment, their smiles spoke loudly.

Martha Cano: “Since we saw this home, we think it’s so beautiful.”

They made a call to Help Me Howard, who found Sasha Lopez. It then all worked out for Martha and Ronald.

Martha Cano: “Yes, I am happy. We’re very happy.”

Great for them, and imagine how tough it is for Martha. You can’t call agencies for help or talk to most people. Glad we were able to help a little.

Sheltering a problem you need help with? Hand it over to us and let us give you the signal: it’s solved.

Thank you for watching 7News.

CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN

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