PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla (CBS12) — Friends, family members, and strangers across South Florida are coming together to support a Palm Beach County firefighter-paramedic who lost both of his parents in a tragic murder-suicide over the weekend.
An online fundraiser for 30-year-old Ralphy Varela has already raised thousands of dollars as supporters work to help him navigate the unimaginable loss. The fundraiser has been widely shared across social media, along with a photo of Varela and his mother, Elizabeth “Liz” Ortega.
Ortega, a longtime Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office communications officer, spent years helping callers through emergencies and crises. Colleagues and friends say she was deeply respected and loved by those who knew her…