Decades ago when Mike Esmond was raising his young family, they struggled to pay their heating bill.
One winter, their gas was shut off and the family of five was stuck without heat during a record cold winter.
“It was the coldest winter Pensacola ever had,” Esmond recalled to TODAY on Thursday, saying temperatures had been in the single digits. “We didn’t have any heat. Our windows had ice and icicles on it.”
Decades later, he was reminded of that very cold Christmas as he opened his gas and water bill earlier this month. He noticed the due date was Dec. 26.
“That made something pop into my mind, that people have to pay these bills by Dec. 26,” he said. “If they don’t pay them, they’re going to be disconnected, and they’re not going have gas or water for the holidays.”
As that realization dawned on him, Esmond decided to take action. Now a 73-year-old successful business owner, he was in a comfortable position to help….
Man pays utility bills for 36 families about to lose heat over the holidays @pulte Maybe it’s contagious! Let’s hope so! Happy Holidays⭐️ https://t.co/wa8LItADXW
— Old Aunt Harriet (@mamarocks54) December 20, 2019