Small Claims Court for 15000

Hello, i’m currently seeking to file a small claims court case against an individual who owes me $15,000. Long story short this person came to me during a time of need and expressed that they had to get a surgery in order to fix their issues which they could not afford. We both agreed on terms that would allow them to pay me on a monthly basis as per the loan (took out a loan to help them). They’ve paid the agreed-upon amount about three times before completely stopping and now they keep giving me excuses of why they can not pay. This person lives in Harris County, Texas, where I do not reside. I currently reside in Madison County Alabama. My question is would a small claims case be worth filing and would my lawyer (if needed) have to be out of my city or theirs ? I understand that legal representation for a small claims court isn’t standard practice but I am trying to do what I can to recoup the amount.