How to Help ‘Pancho Claus’ After Houston Home Floods by Beryl

HOUSTON — Like many Houstonians, Richard Reyes is still cleaning up and counting the cost of Hurricane Beryl. His home in the Aldine neighborhood was flooded with about a foot of water.

“In a half-hour, it went from here to here,” Reyes told Houston Public Media, pointing to the back wall from his front door. “It came like a waterfall.”

Editor’s Note: The video above was originally released in December 2023.

Reyes said the storm also uprooted two large trees, damaging his roof, and he lost power and water for several days.

The 73-year-old, known to most as Pancho Claus, has been bringing Christmas joy and gifts to thousands of low-income children for more than four decades.

Now he must swallow his pride and ask the community for help.

“I have a lot of things to repair and replace. If you would like to help me by donating a few dollars, it would be greatly appreciated,” Reyes wrote on Facebook. “I have not received a salary from Pancho Claus and I am living on my social security.”

(my legal name Ellis Reyes will appear)

Reyes just moved to the neighborhood a few years ago, but he says his neighbors have been wonderful.

“Five years is not a long time to know your neighbors, but this guy over here on my left, that’s his generator that we’re using,” Reyes said. “And this guy on my right, he came out with his saw to cut down the tree. The guy across the street from me, he lent me his water pump to pump out the water.”

He hopes the repairs will be completed in time to prepare for his duties as Pancho Claus. It will be 43 years since he donned the red zoot suit and rode around town in a low-rider handing out presents to inner-city children.

It all started in 1981 when Reyes said he had written a play called “Pancho Claus,” the Chicano version of “The Night Before Christmas.”

“What should appear to my wandering eye is eight low rider cars dragged in the back.” Lines like that. It attracted a lot of attention,” Reyes told us last December.

He hopes to be able to distribute 20,000 toys again this Christmas.

“That’s what’s important. The smiles on their faces when they get something at Christmas,” Reyes told us.

Before he can start planning and fundraising, the “Tex-Mex Santa,” who has also struggled with health issues in recent years, needs a little help getting back on his feet. A GoFundMe account has been set up for donations to help repair Reyes’ home. If you’d like to donate to help buy toys, click here.

KHOU 11 on social networks: Facebook | X | Instagram | YouTube