Mattress Mack helps family that lost 6 family members in Harvey floods

Tuesday, November 28, 2017
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Hurricane Harvey devastated hundreds of families, including the Saldivars. They made national news when a van carrying six people, including children, went down in flood waters - killing everyone inside.

Today, Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale of Gallery Furniture tried to alleviate some of the family's burden by providing them with a house full of free furniture.

After a quick greeting, Virginia and Daniel Saldivar hit the aisles.

They scoured and searched for the perfect pieces that can fill their northeast Houston home, which was destroyed during Harvey.

"It will help us get back in the house," Virginia said. "We'll get a bed to sleep in and living room furniture because we lost all our furniture."

4 children, grandparents swept away in flood on Greens Bayou


The Saldivars have experienced more grief in the past couple of months than they ever imagined.

Their four grandchildren and parents died in a van while trying to escape flood waters. Today, though for a moment, they were able to focus on the community rallying around them.

"It's flooded before 15 years ago during Allison. We lost everything then, but the community then and now is totally different. Everyone was for themselves them. Now everyone is for everybody," Daniel explained.

Matress Mack gave the Saldivars $10,000 worth of furniture and $3,600 worth of accessories, an act he says won't erase their pain, but hopefully will make an impact.

"Couldn't imagine the devastation. Couldn't imagine the feeling and the emptiness that's there the rest of their life. God bless them and all we can try to do is help," McIngvale said.

Bodies of family recovered from van swept away in flood
Family's van found after being swept away in flood near Greens Bayou


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