Surviving Members Of Balatbat Family, Killed By Tornado In July, Receive Donation From BioReference Laboratories

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Oct 23, 2014, 10:42 ET

ELMWOOD PARK, N.J., Oct. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lord and Lolibeth Balatbat and their 13-year-old son Lheandrew Lloyd lost their lives tragically this past July 24 when a tornado struck their campsite in Cheriton, Virginia. The couple, married 14 years died instantly and their son succumbed to injuries on August 11. Last night, at a special ceremony at the BioReference Laboratories headquarters in Elmwood Park, NJ, the company paid tribute to Lord and Lolibeth – both former employees of the company – and their son. Company executives and staff welcomed the surviving Balatbat children Lhariza Ann (12) and Lheanna Leigh (6), who escaped serious injury in the tornado, and the maternal Aunt, with whom the children are now living with.

At the ceremony, BioReference presented a $23,356 check to the Aunt, which was part of a special fundraising drive employees held for the family. A big screen TV, won in a raffle by an employee, also was donated to the children. The Balatbat Family has close ties to BioReference Laboratories, as Lord was a former employee, working as a specimen handler, and Lolibeth had worked previously for the company as a processor. Lord's brothers, Luis, a specimen handler and Levy, a Lab Aide, currently work for the company – as does Lheandrew Lloyd's godfather, Chris Rementilla.

"This tragedy tore at the hearts of everyone who heard about it – yet, it especially impacted those who knew the family, as did many of our employees," stated Dr. Marc Grodman, CEO of BioReference Laboratories. "The Balatbat family is a strong part of the BioReference Labs family. So, we are pleased to be able, in some small part, to support the surviving Balatbat children – and, in doing so, pay tribute to Lord and Lolibeth."

About BioReference Laboratories, Inc.
BRLI is a clinical testing laboratory offering testing, information and related services to physician offices, clinics, hospitals, employers and governmental units. We believe that we are the fourth largest full-service laboratory in the United States and the largest independent regional laboratory in the Northeastern market. BRLI offers a comprehensive list of laboratory testing services utilized by healthcare providers in the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring and treatment of diseases. BRLI primarily focuses on esoteric testing, molecular diagnostics, anatomical pathology, women's health and correctional health care.

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SOURCE BioReference Laboratories, Inc.