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All the feels: Houston family and teacher receive heartwarming surprise from local community

Even Astros’ player Carlos Correa was in on the surprise!

HOUSTON – It’s a big year for Poe Elementary first-grade teacher Tracy Hilton.

She’s retiring after 30 years of teaching, 20 of which were spent in Houston.

Retired teacher Tracy Hilton at her drive-by retirement party (KPRC 2020)

When approached by parents and other faculty members on how they could help her celebrate this milestone, she had a very selfless answer.

She asked that they support the family of a child in her class who had to undergo extensive medical treatments this year due to a black mold infestation in their home.

This is just one example of how bad the black mold was in The Rodriguez Family's home (KPRC 2020)

“One day I found a water spot in one of our closets and called in maintenance," said father Jacob Rodriguez. "That prompted a quick conversation that opened air vents and opened some spaces. Next thing you know, there’s mold everywhere.”

The Rodriguez family was told they needed to vacate their home immediately and leave everything behind.

They were treated for black mold poisoning in Dallas and will need to continue treatments in Houston to heal their organs.

The Rodriguez Family receives treatment for black mold poisoning in Dallas (KPRC 2020)

The parents in Mrs. Hilton’s class immediately got to work to do something for the family.

On Friday, Houston Life was able to surprise both the Rodriguez family and Mrs. Hilton live on-air with what the Poe Elementary parents were able to put together.

We also had a little help from our friend, Astros player Carlos Correa. You can watch the video above to see the heartwarming reveal.

The Rodriguez Family smiles after seeing a message from Astros' player Carlos Correa on Houston Life (KPRC 2020)

“I would like to thank the Poe PTO for always being so supportive of the teachers, children, and families. The Poe PTO does amazing things to make our school a better place. Thank you to all the parents who helped the Rodriguez family get back on their feet and for making my 20 years at Poe an awesome experience. Sincerely, Tracy HIlton”

OTHER HEARTWARMING STORIES FROM HOUSTON LIFE:


About the Authors
Katie Meyers headshot

Katie Meyers is the Executive Producer of KPRC 2’s Houston Life, an afternoon variety and lifestyle show focused on celebrating the city of Houston. She enjoys podcasts, show tunes, her rescue pup Penny and coffee... lots of coffee.

Heather Kansteiner headshot

Heather Kansteiner is a supervising producer for Houston Life. She has been part of the team since the show launched in 2016. She loves all things Houston and enjoys sharing what makes the city a great place to live, work and play.

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