NAPLES, Fla. -- You may remember George Foster, the 84-year-old veteran, who was living without running water since Hurricane Irma. Fox 4 took you inside George's home where he couldn’t even use his sink to wash his hands, he had to go to the nearest VFW to take a shower.
Foster says that’s because the City of Naples wanted him to pay a $2,100 bill. Foster disputed the charge. He says his bill went from $178 to nearly $570, in 3 months, the county claiming he used 35,000 gallons of water. The money the city says he owed kept piling up until it reached $2,100.
But just a few days go by, and the community rallied around George. Starting with his neighbor, Scott, who set up a gofundme page, asking the community to help George pay that bill.
Five days later, people were donating, $10, $25, and even an anonymous donation of $1,500. In the blink of an eye, that balance he had, once gone.
"I never would have thought it and it just shows and proves there are some nice good people out there," said Foster.
But it didn't end there, the later city determined there was a leak in his water system. Pro-Tech Plumbing, in Naples, offered to fix the leak, for free.
"Just glad to see everybody came together, got everything up and working for him and that everything will be back to somewhat of a normal life," said Rick Hume, the President of Pro-Tech Plumbing.
Even with the donations and community support, Foster explains getting through this road was tough for him. "I gotta weak heart, and they’re lucky, it almost took me a couple of times," he said.
But he says he's grateful for his neighbor, and everyone around him who helped, even when he never asked for it. "I think it’s a very thing that they’re doing and I didn’t have to ask them they did it on their own and I appreciate it, as much as anyone can appreciate it," Foster said.
