Friday night fundraiser for beloved 'Elote Man' after crash

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Saturday, November 16, 2019
Fundraiser for beloved 'Elote Man' of East End
Houston once again coming together for a man whose bike and shoulder were broken when the street corn vendor got in a bike crash.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Going into Friday night's fundraiser to help the beloved "Elote Man" of Houston's East End, organizers said a GoFundMe page's goal for the 68-year-old had already been shattered.

The goal of $10,000 to help repair Emilio Vargas' bike after a crash had been surpassed. By the end of Friday, some $16,000 were raised in four days.

Still, the Houston community wanted to celebrate the man when a live fundraiser took place at the Republic Country Club in Stafford.

Vargas' bicycle was totaled and his shoulder badly injured when his cart was hit by a vehicle.

The crash is going to keep him from selling his famed street corn, which was his own means of making money.

Between the GoFundMe and Friday's fundraiser, though, Vargas appears on his way to getting back on the road.

Organizers made a special batch of the Mexican street corn for $10 a piece.

There was also a concert by hybrid mariachi-rock band Metalachi.

Vargas will need at least four months to recover from his injuries.

SEE ALSO: Well-known 'Elote Man' vendor left helpless after bike crash

The 68-year-old "Elote man" was struck by a car while moving his cart in the East End.