Elderly Man Evicted From Rehab Facility Left In Cold Rain: Report

CHARLOTTE, NC — A 78-year-old wheelchair-bound man was left sitting in his driveway outside his home in the cold rain for hours while dressed only in pajamas after a Charlotte-area rehabilitation center abruptly said he had to leave, according to his family.

The incident Thursday occurred after Maxine Rozzelle received a call from Charlotte Health and Rehabilitation Center telling her that, due to an insurance issue, her father would have to leave the facility immediately, according to WSOC.

The health care facility organized a service to transport her father, Willie Williams, to his home and left him sitting outside with no coat, Rozzelle said.

The driver who left Williams said he did so only after he waited for an hour and at the man’s request, WSOC said.

“We are held to strict standards and take our role as a healthcare provider very seriously,” Emily Rowe, administrator of Charlotte Heath and Rehabilitation Center, told Patch in an email. “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on details related to any specific patient due to privacy laws. However, we can say that when an insurance company denies further nursing facility benefits and transportation home needs to be arranged, we contact the transportation company authorized by the insurer and arrange a safe transport. We ensure that patients are safe, stable, and all needs provided for when they leave our facility."

Rozzelle didn't agree, according to the WSOC report.

"They pretty much threw him out like he was trash,” Rozzelle told the TV station. "They sent him out in the wheelchair, no shoes on, pajama pants and a shirt.”