Jacksonville man who is deaf asks for help after he was beaten & his home burglarized

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville man who is deaf is dealing with the perfect storm of problems after he was beaten up and his home burglarized on two separate occasions.

Jordan Whitty, 25, lives at the Kings Trail Apartments on Toledo Road near Wolfson High School. He said he lives independently and walks 45 minutes to and from work every day, where he’s described as a hard-working cook. He said management at the apartment complex hasn’t helped repair the damage.

Whitty, who has been deaf since he was a child, said that a week ago he was jumped by a group of four masked men on his way home.

He said that two days later, his home was mysteriously broken into and ransacked. The crooks smashed through his sliding glass door and stole or ruined many of his belongings.

A week after the pair of crimes, Whitty still has a piece of cardboard taped over the broken part of his glass door. His home is essentially left open and exposed to more break-ins.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is investigating, but no arrests have been announced in either crime.

Whitty, who’s lived at the complex for more than a year, said conditions have been deplorable since March, when a leak caused several parts of his ceiling to collapse into the living room. Water poured onto his furniture. The floor was filled with puddles.

The moisture in the air caused mold, he said, showing a buildup of mold spores on his air conditioning above his bed. He said that it made him cough and feel sick.

Nearly two months after the problems began, he said he hasn’t had any help from the complex’s management. To make matters worse, his home has rats and roaches, he said.

Whitty said he paid for the one-bedroom apartment out of pocket, with his wages from work and help from disability benefits. He said he recently renewed his lease and does not have the funds to break the contract.

He said he is very upset and stressed out about the situation.

“This makes me feel that I am being discriminated against,” Whitty wrote in a text message. “I just want to live my life, go to work and live in a nice place.”

He said he has made multiple requests but has not gotten help. His manager from the restaurant where he works said she has also tried to speak on his behalf and expedite the situation, but hasn’t seen any progress.

The property manager for the Kings Trail Apartments told News4Jax on Tuesday that she was aware of the problems. She said the ceiling couldn’t be fixed until the leak stopped and the water dried. She believed it started from a tub.

“We try to take care of residents best we can, but sometimes it takes time,” she said over the phone. “The unit will be serviced Wednesday or Thursday. We will take care of his unit.”

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she was trying to help and was in contact with Whitty.

Whitty said he hopes the management team makes good on its promise, or they get him a new place to stay, so he can feel safe again.

Anyone who would like to assist Whitty in replacing his belongings can email him at whittyjordan@gmail.com. A GoFundMe page has also been set up.


About the Author:

Lifetime Jacksonville resident anchors the 8 and 9 a.m. weekday newscasts and is part of the News4Jax I-Team.