Family of fallen Texas firefighter says his transgender widow is ineligible for death benefits

Texas mom challenges transgender widow’s marriage

HOUSTON — The family of a southeast Texas firefighter killed in a July 4 blaze is suing to void his marriage to his transgender widow.

The family of Thomas Araguz III wants to prevent his widow, Nikki Araguz, from collecting any of his death benefits because she was born a man and Texas doesn’t recognize same-sex marriages.

But the widow said Thursday her marriage was not a fraud.

The Wharton Volunteer Fire Department captain died while fighting a blaze at an egg farm in Boling, about 55 miles southwest of Houston.

In a lawsuit Thomas Araguz’s mother filed on July 12 in Wharton County, she asked that her son’s marriage to Nikki Araguz be voided because they were members of the same sex and Texas law prohibits same-sex marriages.