It was a cold day of just 50 degrees, when Bridget Stevens and her two boys arrived home to find that the furnace wasn't working. As per usual when something doesn't work, she spends some time trying to fix it herself. Unable to figure out the problem she texts her husband who is not home, and the two try to locate the problem together. When they cannot find a solution, Bridget ends up calling Betlyn Heating & Cooling. Bridget wasn't expecting an answer. She assumed she'd leave a message then go and buy a temporary heater.
Thankfully however, the owner, Paul Betlyn, answered the phone.
Paul tried to talk her through some possibilities on the phone, but in the end decided to make a rare house-call.
Whilst working on the furnace, Bridget and Paul got to talking and Bridget mentioned that she was sure her husband could have figured it out, and that the two of them usually do these things together, but he was currently away on deployment. She didn't even think about what she had just said, and continued on with her conversation.
Bridget got a little nervous about how much it was going to cost: it was an evening call, the owner had personally come to her house, and it took about half an hour to fix. When the problem had been repaired and Paul gave her the bill however, she couldn't believe her eyes!
Bridget couldn't believe her eyes. When she tried to give Paul some money, he said that the $1 was a joke, and to thank her husband for his service. In an interview, Bridget told ABC News that she "didn't really know what to say, and I still have a hard time finding the words to truly express my appreciation." So she got on Facebook and posted a thank you note to Paul, and the story has already been shared around 3000 times.
Paul Betlyn believes that it is important to give back to the community where you can and added: "My grandfather was a milkman during the Great Depression and many times he'd go to the door and the woman didn't have any money for milk. But the baby was crying in the background. So he'd put the milk on the table," he explained. "And when I heard about Bridget with her husband being deployed...I put the milk on the table."
What a beautiful story, and such a generous offer from Paul. It warms my heart to think that there are people in this world like Paul, who give a little wherever they can. And of course, we thank Bobby Stevens for his continued service.
If you were moved by this story, then share it with everyone that you know. An act of kindness really does go a long way.
