Clewiston High School senior surprises crowd with generosity at graduation

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on June 7, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

CLEWISTON, Fla.– Annette Blanco made the decision seconds after she heard her name called from the stage. At her graduation from Clewiston High School, she won her choice of either a new car or $10,000- the prizes were part of a raffle hosted by a local car dealership for students who excelled in school. Blanco picked the cash, but immediately decided to give half the money away. “It was really a beautiful thing to see,” said Crystal Drake, a teacher at the school. Blanco wanted to give the money to the family of Julian Avalo, her classmate who had died in a car accident...

Estero’s one-of-a-kind service horse and owner spread smiles

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on June 4, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

ESTERO, Fla.–It’s not too unusual to see a service dog on the street but seeing a service horse might be a reason to do a double take. That’s what people along 5th avenue in Naples had to do recently when Ron Chaney and his service pet took a stroll. “Oh my gosh,” one woman exclaimed as Ron and his horse, Sassy Mae, took a morning walk. Ron, a purple heart Vietnam veteran, needed a service pet to help him walk. He tried getting a dog, but when that didn’t work out he went with something bigger. “When she came into my life… it...

Clewiston High School teacher’s discovery leads to fitting memorial for fallen hero

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 29, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

CLEWISTON, Fla. – Crystal Drake was working as a substitute teacher inside a classroom at Clewiston High School when an old plaque caught her attention. The plaque was a memorial for Lee Ford, who graduated from the school in 1966. He served in the Vietnam War and later died in the line of duty. “When I saw the name, I knew it was my friend’s brother,” Crystal said. She called the discovery “a miracle” because the plaque had originally been located at the high school’s previous building, which had been demolished for decades. What Crystal...

Bonita Springs woman honors late husband by launching clothing line

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 26, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

BONITA SPRINGS Fla. — When Mike O’Malley was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he had a simple request for his wife, Nikki: to find a hobby. Mike thought it would help ease her anxiety as he battled the disease. And it did. “It was something to comfort me,” Nikki said. “That’s what’s so special about it.” Nikki decided her new hobby would be launching a clothing line of leggings, one of the few things that brought her comfort during that difficult time. She promised Michael “everything would be fine” and she would continue the effort after...

Naples couple opens food truck after quitting jobs during height of COVID

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 24, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

FORT MYERS, Fla.– JD and Jennifer Damas weren’t sure if they made the right decision when they made a bold move last spring. Both decided to quit their jobs and pursue something new. JD had previously worked as a head chef at a Fort Myers Beach restaurant while Jennifer was a registered nurse. Together, they started a food truck called the “Food Rock” on the road toward JD’s ultimate dream of opening his own restaurant. “Yes there’s fear,” JD admitted. “But I’m not going to let fear crush my dream.” The Food...

After passing away, grandmother surprises grandchildren with uplifting voice messages

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 21, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla.– Joan Page hadn’t even been gone for a day when her grandchildren opened their email inboxes and made a discovery. The grandmother, who spent some of her final years in North Fort Myers, had recorded voice messages for each of them. “Enjoy everything you do in life,” Joan said in one message. “Your life has been a wonderful addition,” she remarked in another. Joan passed away at the age of 97 in New Jersey. The messages were recorded in August before her mind started to slip away due to dementia. “It was...

Mysterious recurring donations at Naples Military Museum leave emotional impact

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 19, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

NAPLES, Fla.– The cash first started appearing in March. Every week since, a crisp hundred dollar bill has appeared inside the donation box at the Naples Museum of Military History. Normally, the museum receives between $30-$40 in donations per week. “I thought it was counterfeit,” Dave Hinds, the museum’s president, said. After a trip to the bank confirmed it wasn’t, Dave couldn’t believe the generosity. The donor who has left the hundred dollar bills has not revealed themself. “I know that someone is caring about the...

Former psychology professor finds unexpected passion as Sanibel housekeeper

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 17, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

SANIBEL, Fla.– Dilya Gabdrkhmanova didn’t expect to find a new passion in life when she took a job as a housekeeper at the Beachview Cottages on Sanibel Island. Dilya, who was born in Soviet Russia, had built a career as a psychology professor before moving to the United States. “I didn’t know anything about this job,” she said about her new life in the U.S. For the first few years, she would go to work sad each day until she came to a realization. “I changed my mind because I understood a job is a job.” Dilya began paying extra attention...

Inseparable friendship formed in Army leads to emotional airport reunion

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 14, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Only a few months ago, Jami Aguayo and Travis Livingston were strangers. Now they consider each other best friends. Their friendship led to an emotional reunion at Southwest Florida International Airport last month (watch the video above to see the moment unfold). Aguayo and Livingston served in the U.S. Army alongside each other in northern Syria. For months they battled extreme challenges together, including spending 19 days in the desert without power. Each Tuesday they would send each other special messages via video to let each other...

Teen finds job that brings her closer to grandparents during pandemic

Written by Cape Coral Mortgage Syndicated User on May 12, 2021. Posted in Cape Coral Mortgage, Mortgage Cape Coral.

NAPLES, Fla.– A Naples teen has found a job that brings her closer to her grandparents amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In September, Ashley Duval started working as a server at the Lakeside Grille located within the Vi at Bentley Village senior living community. Ashley’s grandmother, Cindy, and great-grandmother, Lydia, both live at Bentley Village. “It was definitely difficult not seeing my grandma or great-grandma knowing they are in the area,” Ashley said. “Now that I work here, I get to see them a lot more often.” At the height of the...

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