If it wasn't for a lack of REM sleep and an inspired addiction to this very forum, I might never have had the opportunity to jot down all the thoughts going on in my head I wanted to share. Over a month ago I sat in this very chair, staring at this very screen, and I started to write about one of the more inspiring individuals I've ever met in my life. Then, it happened, computer freeze and POOF....it was gone. I hadn't the heart to pour out my heart about that guy again til now.
My very first year in this business, 6 months into it in fact, I'd started to call former mortgage applicants of individuals who no longer worked for my particular firm. I realized quite early that the turn-over rate in this industry was akin to the restaurant industry I had come from prior, and that was one way I could generate business. Having no family in the area, no friends at the time, no experience, and no leads source....this was my way to earn business and make a living. Ironically, my first year's earnings were almost entirely achieved by this very method. Some of those calls were brutal, some were futile, others turned out to be fuel for the fire of my thrill for the hunt. One in particular though, stood out the most. That was the call I made one late afternoon to a 60 year old gentlemen from Abbottstown, Pennsylvania. I'll refer to him as Mr. Phil.
Mr. Phil was a hard man to get a hold of, I had tried for weeks prior before actually reaching him. He drove truck & a bus for a living...so his time spent at home was minimal. When I finally got him on the horn, I was pleasantly surprised that he was very interested in what I could do for him, Mr. Phil wanted to refinance! So there I was in my astute glory jotting down the privy info I needed to put together a proper loan package to see if I could help. As the conversation flowed, I began to get to know why Mr. Phil so needed to get done what I had called for in the first place.
One year prior to our initial conversation, Mr. Phil and his eldest son had built their home themselves...from scratch. Shortly after the home was built, tragedy struck as the house caught on fire. Mr. Phil & his wife escaped, along with their eldest son, but somebody hadn't....the family dog. The eldest son rushed to try to rescue the dog from the flames and as he was doing so, the house crumbled to the ground....killing the son and the dog. A few months passed and Mr. Phil decided to do everything he could to rebuild the house. And that is exactly what he did. Two weeks after his home was once again erected, Mr. Phil's wife of 35 years fell down the stairs and broke her neck, killing her instantly.
At this point, his heart wrenching account of those tragic life events had me in great angst. He went on to say that the reason he needed to do something so bad is that both his late wife and son worked, bringing income into the home to help take care of the expenses. Neither had life insurance. Mr. Phil took on an additional job to try to make ends meet, yet the bills were too many. His credit, his financial where with all....started taking a severe plunge.
The transaction was to date, the most emotionally grueling one I've dealt with. Mr. Phil was understanding and quite frankly kept me relaxed and upbeat....though I was so very much consumed of making sure the transaction panned out. He would often tell me not to worry, things would work out. I thought he was nuts. If only he knew? In hindsight, he did. He knew more than I ever could know and it had nothing to do with knowledge as I perceive it. Without going into the specifics of why it was so hard to get this refinance done for him, we did get it done. The inspiration came after.
At the closing, I went to Mr. Phil's house. He gave me the tour and you could see how proud he was of his property, of his home. He also showed me pictures of his fallen family, & remnants he had kept of the tragic fire. I didn't know how to react, yet I didn't have too. Mr. Phil was so upbeat, such a man of faith and honor...that I felt bad for feeling bad for him. He never looked back with regret, only forward with fond memories. He was so strong, so full of life & vigor, he to this day amazes me. I referred to him then, as I do now, A Psychological & Spiritual Warrior.
Mr. Phil once served our country as a United States Marine. He's alive and well and still living in his home in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania. Today, on Memorial Day, I thought of him...he is the most unlikely of my heroes.
What an inspirational story. That's for sharing. Do you keep in touch with Mr. Phil?
Sandra