HOUSTON – The family of a man killed in a hit-and-run desperately wants to know who was behind the wheel on that night.
Everett Gilbert, 38, was the victim of that crash earlier this week on the 610 West Loop near Brookhaven.
“He suffered his whole life just to get run over by a random person. And then get his leg cut off in a hospital and then die,” his brother, Winston Gilbert, said.
His family is hoping the community can help them get the answers they’re looking for.
They said Everett had just gotten out of the hospital last week and was able to celebrate his 38th birthday on Aug. 5 with his brother Winston just three days before being killed.
“I had brought pizza and wings. We sat on the couch and watched Dragonball on YouTube,” Winston said.
Winston added that his brother was a son, uncle, and friend, adding that their family has already been through a lot. They are now preparing to lay him to rest.
“He was a real energetic person, a loving person. He always told everyone he loved him,” Winston said. “My brother was in pain his entire life. He already had a broken leg and a missing hip, and everyone knew him off of Cullen. He was supposed to be in a wheelchair his whole life. He would walk up and down the street without a wheelchair.”
Houston police said Everett was hit by a car while walking on the freeway of the 610 West Loop near Brookhaven around 1:35 a.m. Monday morning.
He was rushed to the hospital where doctors had to amputate one of his legs. After multiple blood transfusions, Everett died the next day.
His mother Yvonne was out of town when she heard the news. She told KPRC 2 that a few years ago, she survived a hit-and-run.
“He died the day before I could get out to see him. I thought he would still be alive, but I knew he was in bad shape because the picture looked so terrible, and it looked worse than when I was hit by a car. He was in worst condition than I was,” she said.
Although Everett had his challenges, his family said he lived life to the fullest.
Now, they’re praying for answers and justice.
“If you know Everett, pray for him, and if you see or know who did it, give the information to police. So, they can find out who did it because he deserved to live no matter how much pain he was in,” Winston said.
Investigators are expected to go back to the scene to take measurements of the area.
If you know anything about this incident, call HPD’s Hit and Run Unit at 713-247-4072 or Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS. You can remain anonymous, and you could receive a reward up to $5,000 if the information leads to an arrest.