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Houston senior citizen to receive solar panels for free
Reporter Damali Keith has more on what happen in this FOX 26 Follow Up.
HOUSTON - Have you heard the good news? An elderly Houston woman who was charged $50,000 for "free" solar panels, is now actually getting them for free.
When SunRun Solar Panel Company realized 77-year-old Gloria Combs was charged $50,000 for solar panels, that a representative told her she would not have to pay for, the company immediately offered her a completely free solar panel system and the salesperson was let go.
"When all this was happening I just lost it, didn't want to be here, definitely didn't want to be in my house," Combs explained.
That was then. This is now.
"I can breathe. I can sleep. I can eat and I can stop being so sad," says the 77-year-old.
Combs sobbed several minutes after finding out SunRun Solar Panel Company was indeed giving her panels for free, and they're reimbursing the money she has already paid to the company.
"We take these things very seriously and my reaction is we need to make it right," says Jennifer Wilson, who is the VP of the CX Solutions Department for SunRun.
What did SunRun need to make right? Miss Gloria received a $50,000 bill for solar panels a sales representative told her would be free through a government program.
The elderly double amputee already works two jobs, and because of this, was looking for a third.
"Yes. I can go to work at midnight. If I could go to work at midnight, I could pay that bill," she says.
But that is no longer necessary.
Self-proclaimed Mayor of Sunnyside, Sandra Massie Hines, informed FOX 26 about what was happening to Miss Gloria. When we contacted SunRun, they offered her the panels for absolutely free.
"Thank y'all, because if it hadn't been for y'all, it wouldn't have happened. (Now you enjoy being at your home?) "Yes I enjoy it now. I got up and cleaned up and just listened to my music and danced all over the house," the 77-year-old said smiling.
"We're never happy to hear our product being misrepresented to anybody because our system should have benefits for our customers that they could be excited about," Wilson adds.
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Miss Gloria says this also brings back her faith in humanity.
"You don't meet nice people like you every day. I'm happy. I'm happy."
The sales rep that initially told Miss Gloria she would receive the panels free through a government program was not a direct SunRun employee. She has now been terminated.
"They told me they fired her, because I wasn't the only person she did this to, they found that out. I forgive her. I just don't want her to do this to anyone else. I'm glad I kept my faith in God, because God has the last word all the time. You just have to keep the faith. Thank you, Damali. Thank you, FOX 26," Miss Gloria said.