NFL’s Deshaun Watson Offers Help for Elderly Woman Facing Eviction

• Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson offered to help Houston residents who were being evicted during the coronavirus pandemic.
• On Thursday, Deshaun saw a CNN report about a father and an elderly woman facing eviction.
• Deshaun immediately turned to Twitter and asked for help on how to get in touch with the people featured in the CNN story.

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NFL’s Deshaun Watson wants to help out Houston residents who were facing eviction during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in whatever ways he can.

After watching a CNN report showing deputies serving evictions in Harris County, Texas, Deshaun immediately sent out a tweet, asking to be connected with the residents featured in the story.

The Houston Texans quarterback wrote that he “would love to help them get back on their feet.”

This is crazy. Someone please help me find Israel Rodriguez and the elderly women in this video. Would love to help them get back on their feet. 🙏🏾 https://t.co/FfUz5oUwDC— Deshaun Watson (@deshaunwatson) September 3, 2020

“This is crazy. Someone please help me find Israel Rodriguez and the elderly women in this video,” Deshaun shared alongside a video of the CNN story.

The Harris County Precinct 1 Office set up a GoFundMe account to help raise money for the displaced tenants, and wrote in a tweet, “We are humbled by the generosity of those willing to help those who have been evicted. If you have the means, you can follow the link below to donate to help all those struggling with this.”

In the CNN report, Israel Rodriguez Sr. and his family, including his two sons — 4-year-old Fabian and 20-month-old Israel Rodriguez Jr. were served with an eviction notice.

“We ain’t got nowhere to go,” Israel told Deputy Bennie Gant and other deputies of the Harris County Constable’s Office. Israel told CNN that he hasn’t been paying rent because he lost his job at the beginning of the pandemic.

“It’s my fault because I’m supposed to be the man of the house,” he added.

CNN also featured an elderly woman who could no longer afford to pay her rent. Speaking only in Vietnamese, the unidentified woman sat on a chair outside her apartment under the scorching summer heat. Francisco Munoz, the man hired by her landlord, carried her belongings onto the street.

“I have a family. I have a sister. I have my mom,” Francisco told CNN while sobbing. “You never know. Today it’s her. Tomorrow it’s me.”

Deputy Bennie told the landlord, “I’m not gonna put her out here in this heat,” before he added that he would return the next day with social services for the woman.

In a Twitter statement, the Harris County Precinct 1 wrote, “It breaks our hearts to evict anyone.”

It breaks our hearts to evict anyone. We work compassionately to ensure we help, as much as possible, those evicted. The below is a resource flyer we give to all. We have received generous offers of financial aid since story aired. Working on a way to get $ to those in need. https://t.co/xReQgbucDd pic.twitter.com/zaN5D5vMXO— Constable Alan Rosen Harris County Pct. 1 (@Pct1Constable) September 3, 2020

“We’re human beings,” said Rosen, who oversees the staff executing evictions. “It’s horrible. It’s horrible to have to evict somebody out of a home. This is their shelter. This is where their family life is.”

However, the Harris County Precinct 1 Office also noted that the evictions seen in the CNN report occurred on Sept. 1, prior to a ban that was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that stops evictions for many through the end of the year.

According to the New York Times, the CDC said the suspension was put in place to prevent the virus from spreading among renters who end up in shelters or packed homes.

Source: PEOPLE