If your like me you started off of your Memorial Day Weekend with some good news. My weekend was started off with the easing of covid restrictions in my state, a fantastic opportunity to help a few colleagues while growing my own businesses, and a great feel good story.
That’s what I am here to tell you about today!!! In the United States we define heroism as a person who will put themselves in harms way for the benefit and safety of others. I myself was a veteran as a very young man and just recently found one of my young navy pictures. So that gave me a deep understanding of the sacrifices and giving nature of life long veterans that do their best everyday to provide a stable future for the rest of the us.
A young Robert Matheny from the navy
Look to your left at that handsome young Navy guy. Yeah that’s me as a young man oh so long ago, Back then I had no idea of where my life was heading. I traveled the world and I helped out where ever I could, I met people and saw wonderful and wondrous things , throughout this big blue marble that we call earth. During that time the thing that really stuck out to me were the military people that gave everything. Some of these people gave their heart and soul to the country they loved. Some of them made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives for their country and for the people back home.
I obviously never sacrificed like that, and to be honest when I was that young I had no real understanding of personal sacrifice. As an older business man I do have that understanding. That is why when I found a couple of life long veterans in need I found a way to help, keep in mind they didn’t ask me for help and they didn’t even expect that I would think twice about them, but they were on my mind. The Heating and Air Conditioning system for the house had failed again and in the past they had done whatever was in their means to keep it working, but this time their was no saving it. The parts were obsolete , and this time there could be no repair. I thought to myself how could I turn my back on two people that both are debilitated from injuries sustained while serving our country.
So me and my team got to work, we wouldn’t let these people suffer…. Before I tell you what we did let me tell you about these two wonderful people.
A Marine in Afghanistan
This man served his country (this is him in Afghanistan), had a very distinguished career. It was only after completing a 20 year career with the marine corps serving in combat zones multiple times did he retire and become a prison guard. Meanwhile the chemicals he was exposed to in Afghanistan ate away at his lungs. Yet he pushed forward in his life and did everything in his power to give to others and take care of his family.
His wife a veteran of the had a career in the Army and after leaving, became a Baltimore City Police officer. She continued as a police officer before receiving a traumatic brain injury during an arrest and being forced to retire from the police force.
There story was tragic, two American Heroes forgotten about and left to fend for themselves.
Upon talking to the both of them I could see that they still loved each other very much and were in this together till the end, we knew what we had to do.
So a couple of days before memorial day, we bought them a system. A system that retails for $18000 to put in their house. American Standard and their respective distributor North Eastern gave us some of the equipment and the rest they discounted down to whole sale costs. We booked the job and we were off….
Now I know that not everyone can do that, but some of you out there can. If you can help a veteran this Memorial then reach out and lend a hand.
The review he sent us had the entire office in tears and not only did we help out a veteran that needed us this holiday we were able to help our own souls feel better. It touched us even more that he and his wife forced themselves up and went down and stood next to their shiny new unit with his wife. What a great way to start Memorial Day Weekend, and as always remember…
