Decades ago when Mike Esmond was raising his young family, they struggled to pay their heating bill.<\/p>\n
One winter, their gas was shut off and the family of five was stuck without heat during a record cold winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the coldest winter Pensacola ever had,” Esmond recalled to TODAY on Thursday, saying temperatures had been in the single digits. \u201cWe didn\u2019t have any heat. Our windows had ice and icicles on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat made something pop into my mind, that people have to pay these bills by Dec. 26,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they don\u2019t pay them, they\u2019re going to be disconnected, and they\u2019re not going have gas or water for the holidays.\u201d<\/p>\n
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….<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n Man pays utility bills for 36 families about to lose heat over the holidays \u2066\u2066@pulte<\/a>\u2069 Maybe it\u2019s contagious! Let\u2019s hope so! Happy Holidays⭐️ https:\/\/t.co\/wa8LItADXW<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Old Aunt Harriet (@mamarocks54) December 20, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n