This is Victor
This is Victor is born of a beautiful soul that stands on the corner of El Camino Real and Nasa Road 1 in Clear Lake Texas. Hundreds of people drive past him every week and wonder what in the world his story might be....He stands and looks, taps the pole, squints, dances, waves and sometimes just stares. He is a sweet, gentle man that happens to be mentally ill. If you have ever heard the term "falling through the cracks" he is the definition. Police, fire, local city mental health resources know of him. Know him very well in fact. He has family in the area that decline to help him. It is told his mother dropped him on the corner and told him to wait for her to come back. He believed her. So he waits, and waits and waits. So we, as a community are coming together to find him the mental health help he needs. That is priority one, once we get him stable in that regard it is my desire to see him in a peaceful home with friends to support him, and even a job. If you want to meet someone who is eternally optimistic, positive and humble go visit him. He will out-bless you every time.
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I have good news to report for Victor! He is officially off the street and visiting the corner less every day! We have him in the mental health system and his medication is being regulated and he is receiving care that will continue long term . He is very thrilled that things are progressing. We have run into a snag in terms of getting paperwork for him. He does not have ONE piece of paper to identify himself and we are looking to get his birth certificate, state ID, SS card etc. And I'm discovering this is quite a maze that we are having to navigate. So in the interest of being transparent I want everyone to be aware that I will be withdrawing funds as needed on his behalf until we get that all worked out. I would prefer to wait on that, but in the last month I have been paying out of pocket thinking that this process would be faster. Not to mention Victor fell off of his bicycle last week and broke his arm, so now we have some new medical bills in addition to his housing. Negotiating the mental health and social services system has been quite an eye opener. We have wonderful resources that are VERY difficult to maneuver-I can't imagine how a person living on the street could ever get anything accomplished. But, that is a problem for another day! Thank you so much for the thoughts, prayer and financial assistance. I am going to set up an in person fundraiser in the next month where people can donate directly instead of online-Victor will enjoy seeing all of friends there :)
So, where to start? My name is Ginger Sprouse. I drive by Victor's corner at least 4 times a day. I listen to people talking around town and keep hearing "someone needs to do something about that guy." So, I will be the organizer and I hope that we as a community can be "someone" together. This is what I know, he has been in the community for a long time. The Webster PD, Webster FD, the homeless outreach team, MCOT, Salvation Army and United Way are all very aware of him. He is not doing anything illegal by standing there, so other than having him keep his area clean their hands are essentially tied. He did, at one time live down the street in an apartment with his mother, as of right now she is no where to be found-according to several officers and MCOT. (Mobile Crisis Outreach Team) He has been diagnosed with several disorders, but I have not spoken with the doctor who saw him so I cannot say exactly what they are. I am working on getting him to let me take him so I can talk to the doctor. He is periodically medicated so that's why someways are better than others. More to come......
My family and I have fed him various times at Taco Cabana. Really sweet person. We don't judge as no one should. We feel blessed to have met him. I hope and pray he gets the love and support he needs.
I know this is a Go Fund Me account in which you send funds. However, my son has a few unused department store gift cards he would like to donate (from Target). How would we go about sending this to you and/or Victor?
I sometimes stop and give him his little snacks when I have it and get him his Chinese he loves. He is a sweet and kind man. He makes me appreciate all I have and not take things for granite...
You should really raise the ammount. $5,000 is not much to live off of or for him to get a home and wardrobe to go to work. It would be good once he is receiving treatment and stable to go to Dars. They can help him get vocational rehab and training to aquire reputable employment.
Victor can come and live with me and my son in Colorado. My heart is touched by this story. How can a mother so heartless do this to her own flesh and blood? My prayers go out to him. Thank you Mrs. Sprouse for helping him.
Last cold spell I dropped by and gave Victor a bag with some supplies for bad weather, a poncho, used work boots and sneakers, new socks, a scarf etc. He said thank you and reached out to shake my hand. His fingers were like ice. Next day I brought hunting gloves and left them on his things since he wasn't there at the time. I am so glad this lady has taken it upon herself to organize support for Victor.
His mother did at one time or may even still receive the benefits that Victor should be getting! She puts up a fight when she knows someone is trying to help him!
There is a Budgetel across the street from there. They charge like $270 a week. Although he won't be there forever it's something immediate. Let's get him off the street tonight! He will still be close to his corner, which we all know he is attached to. Then the long term stuff can be worked on.
If he doesn't already have Medicaid, please help him fill out these forms. After that contact Texas Home and Living at the Gulf Coast Center. They may be able to help him with living skills, transportation, possibly group homes depending on his level of need
I have been seeing him for a while now and my son and I have a special place for him in our hearts. Today when we passed and saw a new bench there for him but he was nowhere to be seen our hearts saddened. I hope all is well with him and he gets the help he needs. He sleeps in the rain and cold with his sleeping bag and it breaks our hearts. He deserves a warm and dry place to lay his head down at night.
What is the $5000 for? We know him well. He likes the subway subs with lots of veggies. We have worried over him over the years now, especially when it rains and it's cold. A NB officer told me he goes in and out of a relative's apartment but is not welcome. I wish we knew the whole story. Good guy. Glad that you took the initiative!
I wish I could donate but right now is pretty tight. I just worry that someone might take advantage of him in regards to all the money raised to help him. I pray that you Ginger can make sure his "long lost family" doesn't swoop in and all of a sudden wants to "help" and take control over his welfare and money. Please take care of him and not let something like this happen. Sending prayers and looking forward to him continuing down the right path with true friends like Ginger! God bless you!
Come on people! The Clear Lake, and more importantly, the Houston community can do better! Lets work towards getting one more person off the streets, out of danger and into a place where others can help him. Lets show the world what true Texans can do!
You're amazing Ginger & Victor !!
Thanks to everyone who cares for this man. We have visited him also and he is often on our minds and in our hearts. It is wonderful to see people coming together in the community. Thank you.
I pass him every morning and say a prayer, I saw many things left for him this week and he was not there ad then yesterday he was back in the same clothes, can some of the money get him into a hotel and showered and some new shoes he has holes in them.
Thank u Ginger for helping this man ...The story brought tears to my eyes of why he waited on that corner .
Good hearted person. I help him a lot. 3-4 years. I use to take him to apartment near there. I think it was his moms but not sure. Hope he finds a home.
I see that you reach the goal, but I still want to donate! I don't know why it won't let me.