Most of us understand what it is like to be strapped for cash from time to time. It can be difficult to ensure that all of the bills are paid every month but sometimes, we find ourselves in a situation where it can be truly difficult. That was the case with this woman and she was dealing with something rather unique.
Christopher Walters is a soldier who left his motorcycle in storage at the local Harley Davidson shop before he was deployed overseas. Jamie, his wife, was to continue to pay the storage payments while he was gone but she had fallen behind. It is a story that many of us are familiar with, as we have likely fallen behind at some point or another ourselves.
When she was able to send in a check for the payment, she sent along that apology note. She explained why she was laid on the payment. When Dennis, the owner of the local Harley Davidson shop, saw the note, he refused to accept it.
“You send that money back to her!” he told his office employee. “I never, ever!”
As it turns out, Dennis was almost drafted during the Vietnam War but he was discharged because of a medical problem. He is aware of the sacrifices that those who serve in the military make and he looks for ways to give back.
Not only was accepting Jamie’s money an issue for him personally, it was also against his 18-year-old policy. He wrote back to Jamie, return the money and explaining the policy.
Soon after, he began to be flooded with calls from people around the country who wanted to thank him. He thought that they were from members of the Walters family, but he found out they were strangers who saw a picture of his letter online.
Dennis doesn’t use Facebook and he wasn’t expecting to get this type of attention. It not only shocked him that it went viral, it moved him as well.
“It was impossible to answer them all. I got to thinking, this is America and people DO care. They care about their soldiers and they’re expressing that.”
“America is still America. I was a little worried about how our country was going, and to see people step forward in this way, it’s just enlightened me,” said Dennis. “A small effort like this, and look where it’s gone. Maybe more will do the same thing.”
A state representative also visited the store and presented him with a Congressional record statement to “commend them for their service to our nation’s men and women in uniform.”
H/T: Inspire More
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