89-year-old woman facing frigid cold nights ahead with no gas heat in her Sunnyside home

89-year-old woman living without heat for over a year

FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace has more after an 89-year-old woman has been living without heat for over a year. A family friend was hired to fix the issue but they took off with the money.

HOUSTON - "I’m not going to lie and say I don’t," Ethel Porter said. "I really do need help."

Life has dealt the 89-year-old Porter some hard hands to play.

"They said I had a heart attack and I didn’t even know it," she said.

Rheumatoid Arthritis makes it hard for Porter to even get around.

"I’m getting up by myself," Porter said. "I’ve been where I couldn’t even get up by myself."

Porter’s two daughters moved in to help her.

"My sister is on dialysis and I have breast cancer, so we’re fighting," said Dale Alford.

Porter has buried three of her six kids, that’s something no parent should have to do once. Her oldest son died just last month.

"He didn’t have no insurance, so we all pitched in to cremate him and have a service," Alford said.

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About a year ago, Porter says she hired a family friend to fix a gas leak and plumbing issues at her Sunnyside home.

"I gave him over a thousand and some dollars," she said.

"They collect her money but they didn’t come finish it," said Alford.

For more than a year now, the three have been living with no gas heat.

They try to keep Porter’s room as warm as possible.

"This is all I got for heat," said Porter pointing to an electric space heater. "They have a little electric heater in there for them."

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It was in the 40s when we were inside the family’s home and it was cold with coats on.

Porter spent 35 years with HISD helping many children.

"She’s always helping somebody and nobody is offering to help her," Alford said.

If you'd like to help, contact Dale Alford at (832) 729-7403.