HOUSTON – As Hurricane Harvey brought torrential rains to the Houston area, entire communities were submerged, sparing not even some of the most notable Houstonians.
Former NFL star and Texans running back Arian Foster has found himself homeless after floodwaters swept through his Meyerland neighborhood.
"My home was completely underwater. So we lost a lot of stuff,” Foster said.
Foster was able to leave his home before the flooding began, but a neighbor sent him video of his house at the peak of the flooding. His first floor was nearly submerged in water from nearby Braes Bayou.
"I'm fortunate enough to have the financial means to get back on my feet pretty easily, and a lot of people aren't. I understand that,” Foster said.
He knew he had to do something to help lift spirits in flood-battered Houston, so he turned to the best “medicine” he knew: laughter.
"It's how I deal with pain. People are going through a lot of pain right now, and my best medicine for that has always been laughter," Foster said.
Foster will host two comedy shows at Houston Improv to help raise money for victims of Harvey. All $35 of every ticket sold will be used for disaster relief.
Foster is even offering free tickets to flood victims and volunteers who call (713) 333-8800 and use the code STRONG.
The shows will be held at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Houston Improv on Sept. 7.
Headliners include Craig Gass of King of Queens, Lukas Seely of Fox's "Laughs" and YouTube sensation Steve Hofstetter.
The shows will also be streamed live on YouTube, with an opportunity for viewers to donate to Foster’s foundation.
Foster calls the city of Houston home, and is staying with his father in Rosenberg while he looks for a new place to live.
"Some people's spotlights are bigger than others and that's OK. As long as you're doing your part I think the city will be fine,” he said.
Victims and volunteers: Call 713-333-8800 and use the code "STRONG" for free admission
