HOUSTON – It’s a scorching-hot Houston day and Elizabeth Moore and her husband Ardell are struggling to walk their special-needs son to the bus stop.
It's a bus stop that’s nearly a mile away, and it's a walk they must make 10 to 15 times a week.
“It’s difficult for me to walk long distances … to stand for long periods of time. I struggle through it but it’s very difficult. I break out in sweat just because of the pain,” Elizabeth Moore said.
It wasn’t always like this.
Both Elizabeth and Ardell are U.S. Army veterans who each bravely served this country.
Elizabeth worked in the highly specialized, 66th Military Intelligence Unit and Ardell, a sergeant, worked deployments all over the world.
Both are now disabled and are caring for their 36-year-old son Ardell III, who was born with Down syndrome.
Elizabeth suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, chronic tendonitis, severe leg stiffness and leg pain.
Ardell is battling diabetes, dementia, ruptured spinal disks in his back and severe back pain.
Now, these two former soldiers desperately need our help.
“We’ve been in the military. We’ve been taught to fend for ourselves and we have up to this point. It is so hard when you have to be the one to go and ask for help ... so I’m asking,” Ardell says, nearly breaking down in tears.
For two long years, the Moores' only car has sat, broken down, unusable and dangerous.
But surviving on disability payments alone, the Moores could not afford to fix their 15-year-old Buick.
So, with nowhere else to turn, the Moores wrote to Spencer Solves It.
Right away, we towed the busted vehicle to the good people at Christian Brothers Automotive in the Energy Corridor.
The, the team of professionals at Christian Brothers thoroughly went over every part of that vehicle, checking everything.
They found that the electrical system is fried and the engine and transmission are shot.
Just starting the car was impossible.
“We can’t even get this thing started because of all the electrical damage and the transmission is completely locked up,” said Scooter Owens, the owner of Christian Brothers.
“We have to show these people how grateful we are for their service, that someone does really care about them,” Owens added.
The cost of repairing this minivan could run over $5,000, but we are going to do this job absolutely free and get the Moores back on the road in a perfectly safe vehicle.
Hearing all of this, Elizabeth and Ardell are almost without words.
“I think you are a godsend, the things I see you do to help people. It’s really a godsend and a blessing.
Thank you,” Elizabeth said.
We at Spencer Solves It want to send our deepest gratitude to Christian Brothers Automotive in the Energy Corridor and also to Cy Creek Towing for all of their incredible work.
We should have Elizabeth and Ardell back on the road within a couple weeks.
If you need help with a problem you can’t possibly solve by yourself, contact Spencer Solves It at 713-223-TIPS (8477) or email us at solvesit@click2houston.com.