Bridgeport caregiver of 2 family members with disabilities thankful for holiday miracle

A Bridgeport woman who cares for her son with cerebral palsy and mother recovering from stroke is thanking a News 12 Connecticut viewer for stepping up to help her family.
Joulane Cyril is the primary caregiver for not just one family member with disabilities, but two.
The 55-year-old says a year ago things were very different because she had her 81-year-old mother to help care for her 18-year-old son, Emmanuel, who has cerebral palsy. But after her mother had a stroke recently, Cyril suddenly found herself being a caregiver to both of them.
"I don't have no break. Every day, I'm working hard for them," Cyril says. "It's not easy for me, but I'm trying to do the best because it's my job, it's my life job."
Cyril says she has her own health problems, including high blood pressure and finds it heartbreaking to look back at the happy times in her life before her husband passed away, leaving her to raise a disabled son by herself.
She says the toughest part right now is having to lift her son by herself since her mother can no longer help her do that. But a News 12 Connecticut viewer who learned about the situation came forward to donate a $1,000 lift so Cyril can move her son with ease.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal says his office will work with the family to help them get home care using newly available emergency federal dollars.
"We can save money and lives by giving people the care they need at home rather than some institutional setting," Blumenthal says.
Cyril says she is happy to have received help from the News 12 Connecticut viewer, who has asked to remain anonymous.