When you think about it, no matter what we do, we can never say “thank you” enough to the men and women in the military who give their all for our country. They not only risk their lives, but they also abandon their families and friends.
Being away from home must be difficult for both those who have died and those who remain at home and wait for their loved ones to return safely.
Bridget Stevens understands what it’s like to be a military wife.
Despite the fact that this woman’s story takes place during a brutal Pennsylvania winter, it will warm your heart.
Bridget got herself into some difficulty one day. It was bitterly cold outdoors, and the heating in the house had broken down. She didn’t have any extra cash, but she needed to call Betlyn’s Heating and Cooling to solve the problem or her children would freeze.
They provided her instructions on how to try to fix it herself, but as they determined the situation was more serious, the owner, Paul, told Bridget he was on his way to her house to trace and fix it.
Bridget told him that her husband is usually the one who does the repairs around the house, but this time he wasn’t there to fix the problem. He was deployed, leaving Bridget to care for the house and their children on her own.
Paul performed an outstanding job of resolving the problem and presented Bridget with the cost. She accepted it and was about to find out how much it would cost her when she read something that completely overwhelmed her.
The bill read, “No heat evening call. Deployment discount $1.00.”
It was Paul’s way of thanking her husband for his service in the military.
Bridget was moved by the whole experience so she decided to share it on her Facebook page.
“This is a bit lengthy, but I just want to take a minute to acknowledge Betlyn Heating and Cooling. I came home with the boys to a cold house that was 50 degrees. When turning up the thermostat was not kicking the furnace on, I called Betlyn’s, thinking I’d get a machine and have to leave a message, then run to the store for space heaters.
Ultimately, Paul, the owner, answered and was very patient as he walked me through different things to do to try to get it back on. When none of that worked, he said he needed to come to the house to fix it.
As he was working on the furnace, we got to talking about Bobby and the deployment. I had mentioned in passing that I tried to figure it out with my husband, but since he’s deployed and couldn’t see it, he wouldn’t know what to do.
After he was finished, I was a little apprehensive about how much it was going to cost. He handed me the slip that is in this photo. When I tried to give him any money at all, he said that the $1 was a joke, and to thank my husband for his service.
So, thanks Paul Betlyn. My house is nice and warm thanks to you.”
We are thankful that Paul knew how to appreciate the sacrifice of a fellow citizen who was in the military. We should always do our best to help the families of our heroes and that way repay for what they do for all of us.
