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80-year-old terminally ill Veteran finds a way to cast his ballot

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Published  October 25, 2024 10:33pm CDT
2024 Election
FOX 26 Houston

80-year-old Veteran determined to vote

FOX 26 Reporter Randy Wallace spoke with the veteran who made sure he cast his ballot for the 2024 election.

The Brief

    • A terminally ill Vietnam veteran, facing a grim prognosis, was determined to cast his vote in the current election.
    • Despite being hospitalized, he got transportation to a nearby voting location and successfully cast his ballot.
    • His unwavering commitment to civic duty serves as an inspiration to others.

HOUSTON - This will more than likely be the last Election Day Stan Toups will ever see. He was going to make sure he cast his final vote.

"I spent a career in the Air Force and retired, and I'm laying in this bed where I am right now," said Stan Toups.

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We talked to Stan, a Vietnam Veteran from his hospital bed, in the Medical Center.

"I found out recently I've got cancer," said Stan. "I have kidney cancer that has drifted into the bone and part of my brain too."

"His prognosis is not very good," said Stan's sister, Donna Cunningham. "He won't be here for the next, hopefully he will be here for Christmas."

Nothing was going to stop him from voting. Stan asked his second cousin to find the closest voting location.

"He walked over to the big window in front of me and said it's right down there underneath that flag pole," said Stan. "He put it together to get me in a wheelchair and get me over there."

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What did he do about clothes?

"I had on my initial hospital gown, and they went and found me another one and put it on backwards, so things wouldn't show," he said.

"The first ballot the machine ate it," said Donna. "They had to call the county and reissue another number."

"All of a sudden, the fire alarm went off. They started getting people out of the building. I'm in a wheelchair," Stan said. "They said you got to get out. I said, I'm going to vote. My cousin kept saying, 'just keep voting.'"

"What so many men and women have died for that freedom," said Donna. "It's a privilege and an honor to vote."