Call Rafael: Couple feared losing caregiver over a school bus stop

CARMEL, Ind. — Doctor Richard Weymuth and his wife Annelle will stop at nothing to advocate for the people who take care of them.

They became so concerned and frustrated that they reached out to FOX59’s Call Rafael for help.

“If we don’t have competent caregivers, we couldn’t live here,” Richard said.

The Hamilton County couple depends on their wheelchairs to get around their home and to navigate life. They have extensive health needs that require caregivers 24 hours, seven days a week.

“Her neurologist says if she can stay in her own home, she will be more successful and able to remember more,” Richard said.

The Weymuths are retired and moved to Carmel after extensive careers in music and education. Several of their walls showcase the milestones and lives well lived.

“I promised my wife, when I married her 42 years ago that I would love her,  honor her and cherish her until death due us part,” Richard said.

The couple reached out to Call Rafael when one of their top employees permitted them to email as long as her name and her kids’ names were not disclosed. Richard told his caregiver that she was fighting because they did not want to lose her.

“She is the most loving and caring—her kids are like our children,” Richard said.

The caregiver’s children attend the Indiana Math and Science Academy in Indianapolis.

She’s been unable to resolve where her children get on and off the school bus. The unresolved dispute led the caregiver to alert the Weymuths that she would have to quit her job.

“She is the most loving and caring — her kids are like our children,” Richard said.

The Indiana Math and Science Academy shared the following response:

“We’ve assigned a new bus stop closer to the children’s grandmother’s home. Their mother will drop them off there in the mornings, and they will catch the bus from that location.”

The Weymuths keep a busy schedule and they depend on trusted caregivers to be at their side. They appreciate the school’s decision and are looking forward to keeping all their caregivers.  

Reporter’s Note: As a consumer advocacy reporter, I want to note that school bus transportation is a complicated process as school systems work to meet the demands of families with real-life needs. It becomes more difficult for kids who are homeless or whose parents may be divorced, or kids who may be victims of abuse. Schools must also determine the best and safest place to pick up children.  At the same time, the voice of the parent matters and all options should be exhausted and spelled out so that decisions are understood and clear.