March 11, 2019
Today happens to be my birthday, but for the sake of recognizing people who deserve it, I’m diverting my attention to this man named Joe.
I was in an awful accident last year where a motorist blew a red Light and struck my truck on the side and right were Sadie’s car seat is. He had no insurance and not a dime to his name. Sadie ending up being ok, but the trauma sent me to the hospital a week or so later.
I had to get a new truck because my little girl wouldn’t get into the one that “got bumped hard”. As a father, you can understand how much that crushed me. There was no choice at that point, we had to buy a new truck and make it bigger and better, because if we were hit in something different, I may not of been able to share this with you…
I customized a truck that wouldn’t fit in a traditional wash, so I had to find a hand wash service, in comes my good buddy, Joe. Everyone knows how much I baby my truck and if something happened to her, I would lose my mind! Well, during a wash, they scratched it and it was a big scratch. When I realized what happened, I brought it back to him and he vowed to make it right! After several attempts to buff and all of that, he felt it was necessary to get it professionally fixed and painted. Long story short, he didn’t care what the price may be, he just wanted to make it right. I came back with an estimate and we tried other options, as well…
In the end, I settled on his recommendation and it worked out great!
However, this is where life intervenes… Joe and I had many chats about the efforts of his car wash and why he does it. It’s not a business to him. He’s a dedicated member to his church and quite frankly, the people that work with him washing all of the vehicles. He selflessly put’s himself out there to keep his folks off the street doing good things. He’s a man of faith and when you talk to him, you feel it! Every single time I dropped my truck off to get a wash, we talked and it was always so inspiring and uplifting. His entire purpose in life seems to be helping others and doing the right thing.
When it came to fixing my truck, I ended up taking care of it myself. I considered it as a donation to his church and when I told him, he was confused and in disbelief. He was floored and so was I!
When grown men tear up, the earth shakes for a moment, but that’s the moment you feel real and the purpose you’ve been searching for becomes that much more obtainable…
I’ve said it a million times, HUMILITY is something only rare folks can embrace or have instilled. In my opinion, it’s the greatest quality any one person can have. It took courage and honesty to admit that damage to my truck happened and good for him!! He gained a life long friend from it.
He never had to pay for the repair and he continued to be the genuine soul that he is today. He does the car wash to take care of people that need help and in his words… (God comes back for them, not us).
When you connect with people on a level like this, it’s unreal. I pulled my truck into a gas station and found a person that I connect with on so many levels, it’s mind boggling. Joe is now a deep connection and I will enjoy the days I get a chance to stop by and get a wash.
Joe, God bless you for doing what you do and caring for the people you help ever single day. Keeping everyone busy and out of trouble is only half the battle and I know you know that, but the fact that you won’t give up on anyone is such a strong quality. I’m humbled and so happy to call you my friend.
P.S.
I wear suits to work and there were some I wasn’t wearing anymore. I wanted to donate them to some folks that might need them to interview for jobs and things like that. Well, I asked Joe… He put them to good use :)
