HEB employee braves storm to open store

FRIENDSWOOD, Texas (KTRK) -- Rescuers during Harvey involved everyone from police to firefighters, and part of the so called Cajun Navy of volunteers. Not all of the help came through water rescues.

On Sunday nearly two weeks ago, when Harvey's record rainfall was starting to flood the Friendswood area, 25-year-old Francisco Moncoda decided he had to get to work, and walk through chest-high water to do it.

Moncoda has been a stock clerk at HEB's Friendswood store since he was a teenager. He has plans to start law school soon.

"Some people were doing boat rescues, but I didn't have a boat. The only thing I can do is to get water, get bread and help people find stuff," Moncoda said.

He was one of only three stockers who made it to the store, and there was a long line of customers waiting, despite the rain.

Corey Anderson was another stocker who made it in. The store was opened for a few hours Monday, but in his off time, he looked for people to rescue.

"We had a little john boat and we picked people up in Dickinson," Anderson said. "There were hundreds of people out there."

Among those people was Tina Hunt, one of the HEB store managers, who hired both Francisco and Corey when they were in high school.

HEB calls its employees 'partners,' but Hunt calls them more than that.

"We're all family here," Hunt said.

What they did for her and others, she said, makes that clear.

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