Mattress store owner offers to house refugees from Houston impacted by flooding

Furniture store sales Jim McIngvale, more commonly known as "Mattress Mack," welcomed refugees who were displaced by Tropical Storm Ismelda into his Houston area furniture store. Just like he had done during Hurricane Harvey.

How bad was the hurricane?

Tropical storm Imelda hit Houston and the surrounding area with the worst flooding that the city had experienced since Hurricane Harvey, dumping more than 40 inches of water. The rain started to clear up on Thursday night. At least five people died and more than a thousand ended up trapped and had to be rescued.

What is 'Mattress Mack' doing?

Mattress Mack is famous in the Houston area for doing commercials while wearing a Mattress, which is where he got the name.

According to the Washington Post, when he saw that people were getting displaced by the storm, Mattress Mack sent out delivery trucks to offer some of them a place to stay. While he couldn't help everyone, he brought 120 people into his store on Thursday to get dry, shower, and watch television.

"One of the best things about Houston is we come through these dark hours very well," he told KTRK-TV. "I know it's devastating when water is coming in their house, devastating when their cars are flooded. We got through Harvey, we'll get through this, let's keep our chins up, keep helping each other."

Mattress Mack also said that he offered this type of charity because he was a practicing Catholic, and "and I think I should practice what I preach."

Up to 20 of the people that Mack allowed to shelter in his store were allowed to stay overnight.

"We've got all kinds of drivers standing by, ready to come pick you up," Mattress Mack said in a Facebook Live video on Thursday, after giving out his cell phone number to viewers. "We'll pick you up and bring you in. We've got food, water, we've got mattresses, we've got everything you need to ride out this storm."

What else?

This isn't the first time that Mattress Mack has helped those in need. He did the exact same thing during Hurricane Harvey, and for Louisianans during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. He has also been known to give mattresses for free to those who have lost their own to floodwaters.

Editor's Note: A previous headline for this story inaccurately called the people taking refuge in Mattress Mack's store "immigrants." In fact, they were residents of Houston who became refugees after being displaced by the storm. We apologize for the error.