Electrician Repairs Couple’s Broken Heating At No Charge Before They Unsuspectingly Call Him Back For Second Inspection
Feb 12, 2020 by apost team
Oklahoma City winters can be brutally cold, and many local residents rely heavily on their heaters as a source of essential warmth. Unfortunately, heaters can and do stop working from time to time, and this can create a stressful, uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation.
That was what happened back in Jan. 2019 when Stacy and Joshua Lemonds from Oklahoma City discovered that their heater was no longer functional. They immediately felt hopeless, as they were in between jobs and could not afford to get it fixed. So they approached their fellow church members for prayers and then Joshua Matthews came along. Sometimes, a hero comes in the form of an electrician that's willing to lend a hand.
The Lemonds lived in a 1945 home where the wiring, which hadn't been changed since it was built, was faulty. The couple was barely making ends meet when the unfortunate event unfolded. They discovered that their heater actually worked fine, but the electric company had removed their meter because of a fire hazard concern. “We came home and was like, ‘Why is the heat not running?’ We looked at it and it was a blank screen,” Stacy recalled.
Their home had corroded wires, and their electricity would not be turned on again until the wires had been replaced and the home had passed an inspection. With both Stacy and Joshua out of work, they had nowhere else to live. They could not afford to pay for new wiring for their home, so they did the only thing they could do.
They prayed, and they asked for prayers from their church marriage group. Little did they know that their prayers would soon be answered.
Not long before the incident happened, the couple had prepared a few meals for another man in their church group and his sick wife. The man was Joshua Matthews. He was a military veteran who had served two tours in Afghanistan, and he also apprenticed for a local electric company.
Even though both sides barely knew each other, Matthews told Stacy he was an electrician who was more than happy to come over to check out their situation. He lived just 10 minutes away from the Lemonds.
After he inspected the Lemonds’ house, Matthews deemed there to be "some big problems.” So he went to get the help of his co-workers. With some assistance from others who worked for his employer, Matthews and his crew were able to get the work completed. But it was no easy feat. They had to work in dark, cold and damp conditions for several days and even nights, going well past midnight. Their ladder was slippery, and the conditions were dangerous.
“We sat out in the car, in the rain, watching them,” Stacy told KFOR Oklahoma's News 4. She was worried about the safety of Matthews and his team. “It was cold and I just didn’t want him to hurt himself because he was going up those aluminum ladders, and I didn’t want him to slip and fall in the dark,” she said.
What's more, some kind-hearted church members put Stacy and Joshua in a hotel so they wouldn't have to camp out in their car any longer.
The crew prevailed, and the Lemonds’ home passed inspection. Their electricity was restored, and they could again enjoy much-needed heat in their home. Stacy said of Matthews, “He is just an amazing friend and a servant of God." The electric company that Matthews worked for, Dane Electric, did not charge Stacy and Josh a single cent and decided that it was taken on as a charity case.
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Then a few days later, Matthews was summoned to the home for a re-inspection of the wiring. However, there was no re-inspection. Waiting for him inside the house was a news crew from KFOR Oklahoma's News 4 and Tammy Brakebill, a branch manager at a First Fidelity Bank branch in Oklahoma City. Brakebill presented Stacy with $400 as part of the bank’s Pay It 4Ward program. According to First Fidelity Bank’s website, the Pay It 4Ward program allows KFOR-TV viewers to nominate the deserving people in their lives who have made a positive impact in the community for a chance to award them with $400 in cash.
When Matthews arrived, he was met with a huge surprise as a token of gratitude from the thrilled couple. As the reporter approached Matthews, a couple of his co-workers smiled and laughed in the background. They were in on the surprise and had to keep it a secret from Matthews, who was confused about what was happening.
“Thank you so much for taking care of our electric,” Stacy told Matthews. “And so we have $400 to pay forward for you.” Matthews told Stacy that they didn't have to do this, but Stacy insisted: “No, we do. We wanted to give you back something.”
Matthews admitted that he had no idea what was going on. He really thought that he came over to the Lemonds’ to fix something or do a follow-up inspection.
The veteran-turned-electrician has a kind heart, but he said that it was the right thing for anyone to do if they ever came across a situation like that. “They needed help, it is just what anyone should do,” he told the news station. Just like he served the nation, he also chose to serve his friends.
“It has been humbling,” Stacy said. “But it has also been an amazing experience to see people that love, and just love because they love. And just give.”
Do you have any heartfelt stories about the power of human kindness? We would love to hear about your experiences. Then make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!