Last week, KHOU 11 saw first responders carrying Bobby Simon up three flights of stairs while he was still in his wheelchair, as both elevators were out of service.
HOUSTON — There is some progress at a southwest Houston apartment complex where a former Houston Oilers player had to be carried up and down three flights of stairs due to broken elevators.
Bobby Simon had been unable to use either of the elevators in his building at Creekbend Gardens for nearly two weeks. Simon, who played for the Houston Oilers after being drafted in the eighth round of the NFL Draft from Grambling State University in 1976, is now bound to a wheelchair.
KHOU 11 first spoke to Simon about the elevator problems at this apartment last Saturday. Our cameras captured first responders carrying Simon up three flights of stairs to his unit following a dialysis appointment. They had no other option at the time because both elevators were down.
A few days after our first report aired, one of the elevators started working again. Both had been down for nearly two weeks. A letter from the Retirement Housing Foundation, which runs the building, was sent to residents this past Thursday, saying, “Elevator 1 has been repaired and is now operational.”
Simon said he is relieved that at least one elevator is back online.
“Everything appears to be working pretty good right now,” Simon said. “It was great. I can get outside and go across and get my little ice and things I need.”
One of those things is Ensure, a nutrition drink Simon depends on.
After watching KHOU 11’s original story last Saturday, Pearland resident Jacqui Joubert-Young decided to drive all the way to Creekbend Gardens to deliver two boxes of Ensure to Simon.
“Since by nature I’m a caregiver, when I saw the segment, I decided that’s the least I can do for him,” Joubert-Young said.
Joubert-Young surprised Simon at his apartment unit, and Simon was overwhelmed and thankful to see what he described as a selfless act of kindness.
“I’ve been praying that God would send me somebody,” Simon said.
While one elevator is working again, there is still no timeline for repairs on the second elevator. In its letter to residents Thursday, the Retirement Housing Foundation said, “We are actively working with the elevator company to repair Elevator 2. We will keep you posted with any updates as soon as we receive them.”
Simon said he is praying that the update comes soon.
“I hope to get them all fixed, and then kind of get them where they won’t run out anymore,” Simon said.