JEMEZ PUEBLO, N.M. — The wife of fallen wildland firefighter Token Adams has broken her silence nearly a month after her husband was killed in an ATV crash.
Hiedi Adams not only lost her husband, but also gave birth to their daughter, Ayla, two weeks ago, KOB reported. Now that the federal government has shutdown, her late husband’s federal benefits are frozen.
She says her voice is one of many wives, husbands and children’s helpless calls after the federal government left them with nowhere to turn to for help, according to the report.
“Doesn’t really seem like it’s happened,” Hiedi said. “It’s miserable. Lonely. I had a meeting set for benefits tomorrow.”
Hiedi was supposed to finalize her late husband’s federal benefits. But with the shutdown, the meeting was cancelled, according to the report.
She’s told it could be as much as four weeks before Token’s benefits begin.
Suddenly a single mom, Hiedi said she wants others to know what families like hers are going through as the federal government furloughs employees, according to the report.
Thankfully, her community has stepped up with donations.
“That’s what I’m living off of,” Hiedi told KOB. “You know, you have families who are both on government pay and you think up to four weeks without a paycheck, what’s that going to do for their families? I feel for them. It’s going to be really tough.”