Officer Chasity Salazar entered Lewis Hicks’ Austin, Texas home to take a theft report and was immediately troubled by what she saw in the kitchen: a portable fan pointed at a gas-powered stove and oven, functioning as a makeshift heater. The 92-year-old World War II veteran had been using this unconventional method to warm his home. Salazar’s concern quickly shifted from the reported theft to the veteran’s well-being.
Lewis Hicks was understandably upset when he discovered that someone had stolen his tools from a shed behind his house. Hoping for assistance, he called 911, and Officer Salazar was dispatched to handle the report. However, upon entering Hicks’s home, she was alarmed to find him relying on his kitchen appliance to stay warm. Recognizing the safety risks, Salazar knew something had to be done.
Salazar contacted her fellow officers at the Austin Police Department, informing them of the troubling situation. Working with Austin Cops for Charities, the Austin Police Association, and the St. David’s Foundation, she arranged for a free heater to be delivered to Hicks. Officer Salazar and her colleague, Officer Bino Cardinus, brought the heater to Hicks, leaving him stunned and grateful.
“I’ve never had anyone do anything for me,” Hicks said, his voice shaking with emotion. Previously, Hicks had used an old heater, but when it burned a hole in his floor, he began using his stove and oven for warmth. Too proud to ask for help, he had kept his struggles to himself.
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