Officer, plumber join forces to solve 85-year-old Baytown man's water problems

BAYTOWN, TX (KTRK) -- When an 85-year-old man says he was taken for a ride by a plumber, there wasn't a lot Officer Danny McWilliams could do about it. But it weighed on him heavily.

The Baytown police officer says the man told him that someone in the neighborhood offered to fix his plumbing issues, but the contractor disappeared with his money without solving the problem.

What's worse, the homeowner was left with no water at all.

McWilliams says that is when divine intervention happened, ensuring this man's needs were met.

"I just so happened to go into Home Depot, and a man came up and asked me to meet him at his truck once I was finished checking out," McWilliams said.

The man handed McWilliams a gift card and thanked him for serving the community as a police officer. That is when the officer says he noticed the words "plumbing" on the man's truck.

As it turns out, the man worked for Blackmon Plumbing in Baytown.

McWilliams inquired about the cost of an estimate, remembering the 85-year-old man's plight. He was told it would be no charge.

"He said, 'You know what, give me the address, and I'll have a crew out there within an hour,'" McWilliams recalled.

McWilliams delivered the news to the homeowner before leaving to address another call.

"He was adamant he didn't have any money," he said. "I told him not to worry."

When McWilliams drove by the man's home, he says the plumbers were already at work on the situation.

In fact, the officer says the owner committed to replacing all of the damaged water pipes underneath the man's home next week.

"I was shocked, but I kind of believe God put me and Mr. Blackmon together in that meeting spot in Home Depot," McWilliams said. "I believe in paying things forward, so you do good deeds to help people, that comes back in the future."