Martin County, North Carolina, faces a healthcare crisis after the 2023 closure of Martin General Hospital. Debra Pierce's brother died of a heart attack in 2024, and she wonders if he could have been saved with local emergency services.
The county lacks paramedics and has limited access to emergency rooms. Trump's $50 billion rural health fund, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, allocates $213 million to North Carolina, but county officials say it won't help reopen the hospital due to restrictions.
The county is considering funding paramedic units instead. ECU Health, the regional health system, is overwhelmed.
Pierce remains hopeful but acknowledges the uncertainty.