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Woman dies from carbon monoxide poisoning

By Staff

A Cape Coral man remained hospitalized Tuesday after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning last week along with his wife, who died days later.

Gregorio, 78, and Saydee Perez, 76, both of 837 S.W. 37th Terrace, were found by one of their sons lying unresponsive on the floor of their home on Sept. 20. The man had come to take his father to a doctor’s appointment.

Gregorio Perez was transported to Cape Coral Hospital, and Saydee Perez was taken to Gulf Coast Hospital. Both were immediately transferred.

“They needed to be in a hypobaric chamber,” Greg Perez, another of the couple’s sons, said Tuesday.

Gregorio Perez was transported to the St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, while his wife was transported to Mercy Hospital in Miami.

Saydee Perez died Thursday as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gregorio Perez is currently listed in critical but stable condition.

Greg Perez said his father has an infection and fluid in his lungs, and he is being kept in isolation. Gregorio Perez, however, has no signs of brain damage.

“He recognizes us when he sees us there,” he said. “He’s still hanging in.”

His father does not know yet that his wife of 58 years has died.

“We have not told him anything because he’s in no condition,” Greg Perez said.

The family is dealing with the loss as best as possible.

“It’s very painful,” he said. “It’s very hard on the family right now.”

According to Greg Perez, his mother left his home on Sept. 19 at about 9 p.m. Saydee Perez apparently pulled into the garage and apparently left the car running.

George Perez, the brother who reported the incident, told police that when he arrived the following morning, he could smell fumes inside of the home, coming from the garage. He found his mother’s key in the ignition in the on position, but the car was not running.

The family thinks that the car eventually overheated and shut off.

“It was carbon monoxide poisoning,” Greg Perez said of his mother’s death.

When Cape emergency responders arrived last week, they detected “toxic levels of carbon monoxide” inside the residence. According to a police report, fire personnel had to open up the windows and doors to ventilate the home.

Visitation for Saydee Perez will be held from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Coral Ridge Cemetery, at 1630 S.W. Pine Island Road. A funeral Mass is scheduled for Saturday at St. Andrew Catholic Church, located at 2628 Del Prado Blvd., S.

Burial will follow at Coral Ridge Cemetery.