Houston power outages: Storm leaves disabled son without power
HUMBLE, Texas - In the aftermath of the recent storm that ravaged parts of Houston, hundreds of thousands have found themselves without power. Among them are vulnerable residents with critical health needs, including those reliant on electricity to power lifesaving medical devices.
Sherry Johnson, a resident of Humble, is one affected individual. Her 28-year-old son suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a condition that necessitates constant electrical power for his treatments.
"It’s hard, really hard. Very hard," shared Dakara Owens, who struggles daily with the condition.
"It has been terrible," Johnson said. "It’s been a blind spot. In the darkness not knowing what’s going on. No help."
Johnson emphasized the lack of communication and assistance from their power provider, Ambit Energy, and expressed frustration over the lack of accountability.
"I have not heard anything. There's been no alerts, nobody coming by to see if anybody needs anything," she lamented.
With the prolonged power outage, Johnson has resorted to buying gas to keep a generator running, in an effort to maintain an environment where her son’s health won't be compromised.
"You don’t want to get him overheated, the equipment has to constantly be cooled off," Johnson explained, emphasizing the urgency of their situation.
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Owens also highlighted his aversion to hospitalization, which he sees as a last resort.
"If I don’t have power, then I will be forced to go to the hospital, and I don’t want to go to no hospital," he said.
His mother confirmed that hospitalization would be unnecessary if the power were restored, since all his medical needs can be managed by nurses that visit him at home, provided there is electricity.
"They’re [the hospital] overbooked, they got other patients, and I don’t want to take a bed from somebody that could use the emergency. Everything he needs is here and if you have electricity, hey, he’s in good shape," Johnson added.
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Johnson and her son are holding on to hope that power will be restored soon, alleviating their current predicament and restoring a sense of normalcy to their lives. Owens, who has a fearless spirit, is thankful for his mother's relentless efforts.
This is just one of the countless stories emerging in the wake of the destructive storm, highlighting the struggles and the resilience of the affected residents of Houston and the surrounding areas.