ABC13 Who's Hiring Job Fair geared towards veterans sees turnout of hundreds seeking work, services

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A job fair focused on veterans may be the break some have been waiting for.

Dudley Gray is a Navy veteran who loves to play patriotic music. His service took him to Vietnam and the ocean, and he started a career in oil and gas 40 years ago.

"I helped develop the technology that's enabled us to go to 620-foot water depth to over 10,000 feet," Gray explained.

However, Gary's career sunk after the oil price dropped seven years ago. He transitioned from the ocean to the pavement and has worked as a rideshare driver.

RELATED: ABC13 Who's Hiring Job Fair offers veterans more than a way to find work after Beryl

"I've given 18,090 rides in the last five years to Uber passengers and 7,200 rides to Lyft," he said.

It is an occupation that doesn't pay much and has its challenges.

"Unfortunately, the engine in my truck died, so I'm renting a car," Gray explained. "It's costing me $430 a week to rent."

It is an expense that has hit Gray hard.

"I'm barely surviving financially, truthfully," he said. To change this, Gray found ABC13's Who's Hiring Job Fair.

At TXRX Labs, Workforce Solutions and Combined Arms helped bring nearly 100 employers.

Several organizations that offer resources to veterans were also at the event, where more than 600 veterans, including Gray, attended.

"This is amazing," Gray said. "It doesn't happen to have an application for me yet that I've found, but it's encouraging."

SEE ALSO: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick allows recipients to apply for replacement benefits for food lost from Beryl

He is keeping his spirits high, as he does with his music. It's positivity Gray says he needs to find a job for himself and those he loves, at 84 years old.

"My wife would be able to have her nails and hair done, as well as things that she used to do when I had a job," Gray said.

If you missed the job fair, visit ABC13's website to learn more about veteran resources. You can also contact Workforce Solutions at the ABC13 hotline at 713-243-6663.

The latest edition of the Who's Hiring Job Fair will be streaming on ABC13.

For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, X and Instagram.