A Conversation with Roosevelt Gibson "Rabbit" (RG), Eastover Resident

 

Roosevelt "Rabbit" Gibson has been living in Eastover "ever since Lewis Scott been living."

"When somebody need me, I go do something for 'em. He started the garden out here. I said "Well, you need some help?" He said yeah. I said, "Well, I'm gonna help you." So, ever since from that day to now I've been doing that garden, because I love doing it. Because we got one down the road here, I did that all my life.

So from that day to now… I've been doing all this and Imma keep on doing it till the day I die. And I got to be fifty years old now and still out here like I'm sixteen."

Rabbit has lived in Eastover for years, in a family home. Health care for him has always been a mixed bag. He has been on and off Medicaid, but was uncertain of how to stay on the program. Access to broader care is also a challenge for Rabbit as his only mode of transportation is a bicycle, which is why the clinic down the road is his only mode of care.

"Cause you gotta pay fifteen, twenty dollars or more to go back and forth to the doctors and all, says Rabbit. "So, I take my little piece of bicycle and go to the clinic."

Local resident Michael Dantzler says that there isn't a lot of assistance in the area for helping out with programs like Medicaid. A clinic in the area provides the primary resource for health care there.

No matter what happens, Rabbit keeps on pushing to get the job done wherever it's needed.

"Whatever my heart desires… I have a good heart. I don't have no grudge against nobody… and nobody don't have nothing against me. So, I'm doing good."