Former Student Saved Me from Poverty When I Lost My Husband & Daughter in One Day — Story of the Day

After struggling for several months, a woman lost her husband and daughter on the same day. Only then did she realize her utility bills were behind, and she had no options. That's when someone from her past stepped up and did the unthinkable.

"I won't be able to pay for my water or electricity bill this month. I don't have enough to cover this debt," I told my dear neighbor, Caroline, shaking my head and feeling my eyes tear up.

"What happened? You've always been so responsible with bills," Caroline started but covered her mouth as soon as the words got out. "Geez, I'm so sorry, Addison. Of course, I know what happened. I'm an idiot."

I laughed with no real humor at her comment. She knew exactly what had happened. For the past several months, my husband, Bennie, and I had been struggling with our daughter Annette's treatments. She had been awfully sick, so she and her two little sons moved in with us.

"I'm sorry. You're not a stranger? Who are you then?" I asked.

It wasn't fair. No one deserved a sickness like hers, much less Annette. She was unique, kind, beautiful, helpful, a wonderful single mother, and everything good in the world.

Bennie and I were already retired – I used to be a teacher – but at least we owned our home, and Annette had to quit her work, so rent was impossible for her. This way was best. We could take of her and watch her kids while she tried to recover.

My husband also drove her to New York to receive her treatment. We live in a town two hours away, and the doctors here recommended something better in the Big Apple, so we did that. The medical bills accumulated, but we did our best, taking from our savings. Annette's life was more important.

But on a horrible rainy night, I lost both of them to a car accident. Annette's boys – although young – were inconsolable. We had been trying to prepare them for potentially losing her because of Annette's health, but you can never be truly prepared for it. Worst of all, I had to pretend I wasn't dying inside myself. I had to be strong. I had to push through, and I thought I had.

However, I realized too late that I had fallen behind on all my utility bills. We had been spending too much on treatments, and I didn't even think after their death. I was worried about the boys. Now, I received shut-off notices from the water and electric companies. And I had no way to settle my debt with them.

"It's not your fault, Caroline. I got careless," I nodded at my friend. She had been a shoulder to talk to through these times, but she didn't know what I was going through. She had never lost anyone so suddenly. Both her parents died of natural causes, and she got to say goodbye to them.

She and I talked for some time, and as she was leaving, I said, "I'm going to the Municipal Services Building tomorrow. Maybe, they'll understand and put me on a payment. My grandsons need water and electricity. They can't shut it off. It'll be fine."

"You don't have any more money saved?" Caroline asked, worried. "I can lend you some."

"No, no. I mean, I don't have any money except a bit for food for the rest of the month. But don't worry, I'll be fine," I assured her. I didn't want to ask her for money. I was on the verge of extreme poverty, but she had already done too much for me just by being there.

The following morning, I was at the building bright and early. A kind-looking woman heard me out, but after listening to my 15-minute explanation, she shook her head. "We understand your struggles, ma'am. But once you get a shut-off notice, it's much harder to get on a payment plan," she told me gently.

"I'll pay for her," a voice said from behind me said, and I turned around to see a young, well-dressed gentleman – around Annette's age – reaching into his wallet.

"No, sir. I couldn't accept that from a stranger," I shook my head. "It's also too much money."

"Mrs. Dale, I'm not a stranger," he said and gave his card to the attendant, who smiled and typed on her computer, arranging everything. Meanwhile, I stared at the man directly and blinked several times.

"I'm sorry. You're not a stranger? Who are you then?" I asked.

"I'm…well, let's say I was not your favorite student. But you pushed me hard, and I learned to be better at school," he said with a slight, lopsided grin.

That's when I recognized his face. It was Justin. I was his teacher in fifth grade many, many years ago, and the boy had thrived on being a class clown. "Justin! Oh god. Well, look at you!"

Justin smiled widely now and took his card back from the attendant. "Yeah, well. I run my own business now."

"That's wonderful. But sweetheart, let's talk about how I'm going to pay you back for this," I said insistently.

"No, Mrs. Dale. I…heard about Annette and Mr. Dale. I was only in a few classes with her for the rest of my school life. But she was…the sun…a bright stop for everyone. And I can't believe life is so unfair," Justin added, looking down. "My sincerest condolences."

My eyes watered, and I looked down too. I was so grateful to this boy that I forgot to ask why he was at the Municipal building too. I never found out.

When I lifted my head, I grinned at the kid. "Come by sometime. I'll make you dinner, and you can meet my grandsons," I offered. "And you can tell me all about your successful life."

I walked home feeling much better, knowing that my grandsons and I would not be without basic utilities for now. And my spirits were somewhat brighter for the first time in a while. My daughter had been a ray of sunshine for others, and even in her death, she inspired goodness. I couldn't have been prouder, and I promised to raise my grandsons so they would be just as wonderful as their mother.

What can we learn from this story?

• Kind people inspire goodness in others. Annette had been such a wonderful person that Justin decided to help her mother after hearing of her death.
• There's always a silver lining, even in the worst of times. Addison was heartbroken, but Justin's gesture lifted her spirits, reminding her that her daughter had been great. Annette had not lived a long life, but it had been impactful. And Addison had to continue to raise the boys similarly.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a widowed teacher who couldn't feed his kids until the whole school showed up at his doorstep.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.