In the midst of the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, families and friends are pulling together to put the pieces of their lives back together. People are living minute by minute instead of day by day and struggling with how they can possibly accomplish what they need to do. Here’s where the giving spirit of strangers willing to lend a helping hand comes into play!

Dr. Ronald Coe from Baton Rouge, Louisiana is an ER Physician. He scheduled to attend the AHEC Ultrasound Guided Venous Access course in Houston on September 8^th, 2017. He wasn’t sure with the devastation left by Hurricane Harvey attending would be possible. He called and spoke with Nanette on our registration team and she assured him Houston was safe for travel and we were high and dry. With the decision made to come to Houston, he and his wife altered their plans to add a few days to their trip to help with Harvey Relief. A co-worker spoke to him about an elderly relative in Port Arthur, Texas who lost everything due to flooding of her home. Dr. Coe and his wife packed up their truck and started their journey to Houston via Port Arthur. Once he arrived he checked on the elderly relative and found she had already finished clearing her belongings from her home. Thankfully she had flood insurance and she was good for now. Not sure where to go from there, Dr. Coe decided to just drive around and find someone else to help!  He and his wife, a nurse, happened upon a young family recently arrived back home from evacuating and who had only just begun clearing their home. The family welcomed Dr. Coe and his wife and were immensely grateful for the helping hands and giving spirit.

Dr. Coe didn’t need or want recognition for himself or his wife’s efforts. He only wanted to be available and ready to help when someone needed it the most. The Coe’s generosity and this simple kind gesture is something that can be witnessed all over SE Texas and quite literally could bring tears of joy and relief to the victims of this terrible disaster. AHEC salutes Dr. Coe and his wife and all the others who have come, reached out, and helped a flood victim.