Couple still awaiting discharge from Mexican hospital, as Tyler Perry helps

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    ATLANTA, Ga (WGCL) — Stephen Johnson and his fiance Tori Austin remain in a Mexican hospital, waiting on doctors to give the go-ahead for Johnson to be discharged.

The delay comes as Atlanta-based media mogul Tyler Perry stepped up to offer financial assistance in paying a now $16,000 bill, which was keeping the couple from leaving the Progreso, MX hospital for more than a week.

Johnson fell ill during a cruise to the Mexican port town earlier this month, was hospitalized, but didn’t have insurance or the money to pay in full. The original bill after three days of treatment for pancreatitis and diabetes was $14,000, according to the couple. The couple says the hospital locked the doors, got physical, and threatened to call police if they tried to leave without paying.

The State Department told CBS46 Thursday, “We take allegations of mistreatment seriously and are monitoring the situation closely… we take seriously our responsibility to assist U.S citizens abroad, and are providing all appropriate consular services.”

But the couple told us those services only included a list of lawyers to call.

On Nov. 22, Tori Austin says she visited the US Embassy to get an emergency passport — she didn’t have one on the cruise — to get ready for a return back to Atlanta.

She says her fiance has to have some more medical treatments done before he will be allowed to fly.

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