53-year-old autistic man clings to life after being hit by a vehicle while walking with a shopping cart
HOUSTON - What happened to Porfirio Alvarez is affecting a lot more people than just his family.
"My brother is autistic, and it's very hard for him to comprehend. He feels like everybody is a good person," said Porfirio's sister, Maria Ramirez. "He loved to collect cans, that's his hobby."
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"He wasn't homeless. He's dressed appropriately. He does this for a hobby and to collect a little money," said Porfirio's cousin, Esmeralda Muniz.
On May 23 near midnight, Porfirio was walking with a shopping cart at TC Jester and Allen in the Heights when a vehicle hit him sending him 40 feet.
The driver doesn't even stop. His cart, cans, and the mattress and chairs he collected went flying.
One of his shoes remains on the tracks.
"I saw a person laying in the road, maybe 40 feet down the road," said Mark Esposito, who works at a bar nearby.
When he ran to help, he realized it was Porfirio.
"I started yelling at him, checked to see if he was breathing. He didn't seem responsive," Mark said. "I unbuttoned his shirt a little bit, and noticed a lot of imprints on his chest. Then he started looking at me a little bit. I told him to keep looking at me for 10-15 minutes until the ambulance arrived."
"I want you to know if you're listening, the type of harm you've caused the family," said Esmeralda.
Anyone with information, should call HPD's Hit and Run Division or Crime Stoppers.