Houston weather: Houstonians helping the homeless after man dies at bus stop

HOUSTON - The coldest weather to hit Houston in about a year has already turned deadly, and we're in for tumbling temperatures all week.

The dangerously cold weather dipped below freezing overnight and caused the death of a man in East Houston. The man was discovered dead on Monday morning at a METRO bus shelter on North Cesar Chavez near Canal Street around 7:30 a.m. He was apparently trying to escape the bitter cold.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Death at Houston bus stop caused by cold, officials say

Because freezing cold temperatures can be fatal, some have spent the day trying to help keep the homeless from suffering hypothermia.

"Everybody line up," Tomeka Hudson says with a smile at a homeless encampment in New Caney.

"I'm passing out water and MRE's and some clothes, warm clothes. We have blankets out here, tents, tarps, socks and jackets. We're also giving them gloves and mittens. Sonic came out here and passed out warm food as well," Hudson explains.

"This time of year becomes incredibly serious for a lot of people in our community," says Dr. Michael Bublewicz, Memorial Hermann Chief Medical Officer of Emergency Services.

"When we get cold, we start to shiver and that's actually a good thing. That's our body's way of warming ourselves up, of trying to raise that body temperature up. So shivering is actually a very good sign. We start to get concerned when the body temperature continues to drop to the point where we stop shivering. That's when we start to see some of the adverse, more systemic effects of hypothermia. Folks' heart rate can drop. Their blood pressure can drop. They can become dizzy, confused, very sleepy, and that's when it becomes really dangerous. They slowly fall asleep and, ultimately, potentially never wake up," Bublewicz said.

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"I'm just going to do what I can to make other people's lives easier. If I have it, then I'm going to do what I can do," explains Isaac Malott, who's also helping the homeless. 

"We have a scrapyard right there in New Caney. (How did you end up coming out with lemons today?) We just got them donated, so my mom said when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. So that's what I told them. Now they have water and lemons, and they can squeeze lemonade. That's the plan," Malott said.

Hudson says she's been helping the homeless because she knows what it's like after living in a tent on her own property.  

"Yes, and I saw the struggle and I think God put me through that, a trial in my life to see how it is out here, not to judge. We're all human. We're all God's children," says Hudson.

Dr. Bublewicz says hypothermia hits as early as when body temperature drops below 95 degrees. He's reminding everyone that infants and the elderly are the most vulnerable during this time because they have a difficult time regulating their body temperature.

The doctor also has this warning: "If we're attempting to use space heaters inside our homes, that can put you at risk of another serious condition called carbon monoxide poisoning. If we're leaving ovens on as a source of heat in our homes and our apartments, if we have a heating system which hasn't been serviced in a very long time, it may be in danger of leaking carbon monoxide. So a good rule of thumb is to consider anything that can burn can release carbon monoxide, and we want to be extra cautious."