Don Alberto, the Elote Man, Recovers After Medical Emergency

Wichita Kansas | July 16, 2025

By Claudia Amaro | Planeta Venus

Don Alberto Quezada selling corn on the cob in Wichita, Kansas. Picture by Planeta Venus.

Not many people know the name Alberto Quezada, but hundreds of Wichitans know “El señor de los elotes" (the Elote Man). Yes, the same man who rides his tricycle from home to the corner of Waco and 21st Street North to delight the community with his delicious elotes and snacks.

On Monday, July 14, Don Alberto caused commotion in the community when Norma Aguilar, who happened to be passing by, went live in a popular Facebook group to share that “el señor de los elotes” had collapsed and was taken by paramedics to the emergency room, leaving his elote cart behind.

We spoke with Aguilar, who at that moment called on the community to help sell the elotes to support Don Alberto. Aguilar is also an entrepreneur and owner of a catering business in Wichita. She stood in solidarity with the Quezada family—not only by spreading the news but also by creating a GoFundMe campaign to help cover medical expenses and support the family during Don Alberto’s recovery.

Don Alberto arrived in Wichita in the early 2000s with his family and hope for a better future. Originally from the state of Jalisco, he worked in construction—literally building bridges—traveling from place to place to provide for his family.

In early 2011, a work-related accident changed his life completely. Despite suffering a back injury, Don Alberto kept working until the same company that employed him let him go without taking responsibility for worker’s compensation. He suddenly found himself without a job and with limited options due to his injury. Don Alberto shared with Planeta Venus how he started his journey as a street vendor:

“A friend told me, ‘Come sell popsicles, I sell popsicles here. What if you got a bike and went out to sell popsicles?’ And I thought, well, I have nothing else to do here. And that’s how I started selling popsicles. I did that from around 2011 to 2015.”

He shared that selling popsicles was only seasonal work, limited to the warmer months, which made it difficult to earn steady income. That’s when the idea of selling prepared elotes during the colder seasons was born. In 2015, realizing popsicle sales weren’t enough to get by, he bought his own bicycle and began selling elotes. He followed the city codes, obtained his street vendor license, and to this day, continues to comply with regulations, including periodic health inspections at his home.

Every story, every dream comes with sacrifices, love, and struggle—and Don Alberto’s story is no exception. At 76, he says he simply can’t sit still. Beyond the need to work, what he loves most about his job is chatting with the community.

“There are people who like to talk with me, they come and sit over there on the bench, and we get to talking—and before you know it, time just flies,” he said.

Like many of us, Don Alberto doesn’t often share his personal life with customers beyond his aches and pains. But he carries his sorrows, too—like earlier this year, when he suddenly lost one of his sons to cardiac arrest. He has also faced unfair competition, like when he tried to join events at NoMar but was turned away because they wanted to charge him a vendor’s fee.

In recent years, Don Alberto’s health has declined, and selling in extreme weather has become more dangerous. With multiple health issues, he checks the forecast every morning to decide whether or not he’ll be able to sell that day. Some of his regular customers even have his phone number and call to see if he’s out working.

“(Selling elotes) is the only thing I can do—and only because I ride a bike. And sometimes the wind is so strong, it almost knocks me over.”

Despite everything, Don Alberto always treats his customers with kindness—and serves the best elotes in town.

When he recovers, Don Alberto plans to return to his regular route. Through Planeta Venus, he sends a heartfelt message to the community: “Thank you so much for worrying about me.”

To finalized, Don Alberto shared that he truly feels the love from his community.

If you wish to support Don Alberto and his family, you can donate to the GoFundMe page that was set up to support them during this time of emergency.