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Florida businessman pays overdue power bills for 36 families Florida businessman pays overdue power bills for 36 families
(about 1 hour later)
A pool installation company owner in Florida has paid off the bills of 36 families who were in danger of losing power during the holiday season.A pool installation company owner in Florida has paid off the bills of 36 families who were in danger of losing power during the holiday season.
After receiving his own utility bill, Michael Esmond got the idea to "take a little bit of stress out" of the season for his neighbours.After receiving his own utility bill, Michael Esmond got the idea to "take a little bit of stress out" of the season for his neighbours.
He contacted the city of Gulf Breeze, where he lives, to ask about helping out everyone whose payment was overdue.He contacted the city of Gulf Breeze, where he lives, to ask about helping out everyone whose payment was overdue.
He says he was motivated by his own unheated holiday season years ago.He says he was motivated by his own unheated holiday season years ago.
While paying his bill earlier this month, Mr Esmond, 73, said that he noticed that it read that the due date was 26 December and that supplies may be cut if not paid by then. While paying his gas and water bill earlier this month, Mr Esmond, 73, said that he noticed that it read that the due date was 26 December and that supplies may be cut if not paid by then.
"I actually lived that back in the 1980s," he told WEAR-TV in nearby Pensacola. "I experienced the same thing, having trouble paying bills. My gas was shut off, and we had no heating for the whole winter." "This actually happened to me back in the 80s," he told BBC News, saying that he was having trouble juggling the costs of bills and Christmas gifts back then.
"That was definitely in my mind when I received the bill this year," he said, explaining his decision to contact city hall and ask for a list of all the families who were in danger of losing power. "We actually had the gas shut off the whole entire winter," he said, adding that it happened to be one of the coldest ever recorded winters in Pensacola.
Joanne Oliver, Gulf Breeze's utility billing supervisor, told the station that she cried when he first approached her with the idea. Joanne Oliver, Gulf Breeze's utility billing supervisor, told WEAR-TV that she cried when he first approached her with the idea.
"For someone like him, a veteran to come in and do some grand gesture. It was heartfelt for me," she said."For someone like him, a veteran to come in and do some grand gesture. It was heartfelt for me," she said.
In total, Mr Esmond paid $4,600 (£3,500) to help 36 families in his community of 6,000 residents.In total, Mr Esmond paid $4,600 (£3,500) to help 36 families in his community of 6,000 residents.
But what he didn't know until later was that the city sent out holiday cards to the recipients of his generosity saying: "It is our honour and privilege to inform you that your past due utility bill has been paid by Gulf Breeze pools & Spas.But what he didn't know until later was that the city sent out holiday cards to the recipients of his generosity saying: "It is our honour and privilege to inform you that your past due utility bill has been paid by Gulf Breeze pools & Spas.
"You can rest easier this holiday season knowing you have one less bill to pay.""You can rest easier this holiday season knowing you have one less bill to pay."
"I never expected people to be so appreciative of me doing something I thought was a simple gesture to make Christmas better for some families," he told NBC's Today show. "I think I really struck a nerve with a lot of people. People don't realise that there are people right now that don't have heat and electricity and everything in their house and their going to go through Christmas without that."
"I just wanted to do something this time of the year - Christmas time - to do something to help families that really needed help," he said. "My phone hasn't stopped ringing with text messages and emails for days now," he says, with many people promising him they will "pay it forward" and do charitable acts that he helped to inspire.
"I'm just as surprised and overwhelmed as everybody else." "It's just mind boggling to me," he added.
Mr Esmond says he's already thinking of what he can do next year, but says it definitely will not be the same act of kindness.
"People say 'are you going to do this again next year', and my reply to them is, if people knew I was going to do this nobody would pay their bill.
"They'd all wait for me to pay it," he chuckled. "I'll have to think up something."
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