I read a story last night that was emailed to me by a very good friend, and it was a quote by Malcolm Forbes at the end – the moral of the story – that reminded me of this Reverse Mortgage story. It read: “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”
One day, a few years ago, I received an email through my Reverse Mortgage website asking me to contact the author. She didn’t say much, but did put her phone number in the note, and said I could email or call her. The note had a gentle tone to it, which in itself is not so unusual, until I discovered the woman’s situation.
It took a few attempts to reach her on the phone, but finally we were conversing. She patiently allowed my small talk which was designed to make her comfortable with me, and we chatted for a while. After what must have seemed like forever to her, Mr. Dopey (me) finally got around to asking some questions about her circumstances and her needs. It didn’t take long for me to realize she was in more than a little financial trouble. Mrs. G was four months behind on her mortgage, and behind on some credit cards she had been living on while trying to pay her mortgage. The daily phone calls from her creditors were wearing her down. Then, she told me about her husband who was suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. She was caring for him in the home, and was afraid of how it would upset him if she lost the house and had to move. There was more: her daughter was also living in the home with her three grandchildren. Where would they live if she had to move? The calculations quickly told me that a Reverse Mortgage could be done, and would even yield Mrs. G enough money to have a little cushion for peace of mind after the closing. When I convinced her we could solve this crisis, she cried and asked how quickly it could be done.
Normally I would have sent an application package to her to sign – she lived in South New Jersey, about three hours drive from my office. I told her we could get it to closing in three weeks, and I would be at her door tomorrow around noon to meet with her and begin the process. There was something about Mrs. G that reminded me of my Grandmother, and I would do anything for my Grandmother when she was alive.
So, Mrs. G and I worked together, got the Reverse Mortgage closed, and she was able to keep her family together in their home. At the closing she kissed me on the cheek and thanked me for making her feel so special by driving all the way to her home that first day. She still sends me emails to let me know she prays for me.
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