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

Erica Simon Image
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Mattress Mack helps family marked by tragedy in Harvey
The Saldivars lost so much in Hurricane Harvey, including six family members who died in a van swept away by flood water.

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."

Six family members are presumed dead after a heartbreaking van ride in north Harris County.

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

Six family members swept away in fast-moving flood on Greens Bayou

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