A heartbroken Romanian migrant whose dreams of a new life in Scotland turned into a nightmare has appealed for some compassion after his young wife’s tragic death.
Walter Ioanovici, 33, who only moved to Kirkcaldy in April, has spoken of his helplessness as the body of his wife Iuliana Bordas lies in a local morgue with no means of returning her home.
Iuliana passed away aged just 24 on Sunday following a battle with colon cancer, and her dying wish was to be buried in her homeland.
But with very little money and no job, Walter revealed he does not know where to turn to in order to repatriate the loved one he lost less than a week ago.
Friends of the couple in Fife have now pleaded for help of any kind – be it practical or financial – to get Iuliana back to Romania as soon as possible.
Walter revealed he has had few answers from the Romanian Consultate in Edinburgh, although he has been told his beloved Iuliana is set to remain in situ until he can stump up the thousands of pounds needed to fly her back to Bucharest – and then transport her a further 400 miles or so to her native Nădlac in western Romania.
Fighting back tears, Walter told The Courier: “I just find myself very alone here in a strange country. Scotland is a great country but what has happened has just ruined my life.
“I asked her many, many times if she wanted to go home but she was happy here and when she went back into hospital the doctors said we didn’t have any choice because she was too ill.
“Everybody loved Iuliana but she deserves to be buried in her homeland. That’s what she wanted.
“She was even telling me before she died to move on and have kids. She said to me: ‘Don’t cry after me. When you have a little daughter, just give her my name.’
“That’s the kind of person she was, thinking about other people.”
Iuliana was first diagnosed in 2009 and was in remission, but after a few months in Scotland her health rapidly deteriorated.
Walter initially worked at Amazon in Dunfermline before being made redundant, although he quickly found work with Marine Harvest in Rosyth.
However, he had to give up his job to look after Iuliana as doctors said she was too sick to travel back to Romania.
Walter’s own health has also suffered as a result of the strain and he is now on dialysis every second day due to kidney problems.
A close friend of the couple, who did not wish to be named, is doing what she can to assist Walter in taking Iuliana back to Romania for burial as is their custom.
“The staff at Victoria Hospital were absolutely wonderful and they took the lovely couple to their hearts,” she said.
“They were so touched by the love and devotion they had for each other and it was so heartbreaking when it was found that Iuliana’s illness was terminal.
“She really was the most wonderful young girl you could ever meet, taken far too soon.
“Now Walter has to take Iuliana back to Romania and there is no funding in this country to assist him in paying for this.
“The families in Romania are so desperate to have Iuliana home that Walter’s mother has put her home up for sale, which is an overwhelming gesture for anyone to make.
“It is such a heartbreaking time for everyone concerned and I sincerely hope the Scottish people will rally round to somehow help this wonderful husband who is absolutely devastated with his loss.”
Walter, Iuliana’s sister Daniela and Claudio, Daniela’s partner, were by Iuliana’s side when she died.
