TYLER, Texas — Steven Hickman, who works in the environmental services at UT Health Tyler, was defeated to discover that his only means of transportation was stolen from him - on his birthday.
Despite the anxiety he felt losing his moped, he found a way to make it to work, walking to and from work in the scorching heat daily.
“I don’t like asking for help, so this has been the saddest experience,” Hickman said, who transports biohazardous materials at the hospital. “They’ve offered many times to give me a ride home, but I don’t want to bother my bosses.”
When leadership at UT Health Tyler discovered Hickman’s situation, they wanted to see how they could help out.
The topic came up at a dinner with the health system’s CEOs and within a few hours, they discovered a solution.
At that dinner, UT Health East Texas Regional President Donald Baker offered to donate to the cause. This evidently led the funds to be met and had a new moped the next day.
“I set up a GoFundMe at 7 a.m. that Thursday morning, and by 9 a.m. we had funded his moped replacement,” said Jimmy Clark, UT Health Tyler vice president of operations.
Hickman was in shock when he learned the news from his leadership team - all of whom contributed to the fund.
“It means the world to me that they offered to get me a new one,” Hickman said. “I work with good people.”