A “wrong number” turns a real estate agent into a Thanksgiving angel
This time of year, people are more likely to open their hearts and wallets to help others in dire straits. High unemployment rates and homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosure have beefed up the number of folks reaching out for some type of assistance.
Sometimes that help comes from unexpected places.
At 5 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving, Lucy Crutchfield left a message for her daughter - or so she thought. Lucy misdialed and actually reached the voice mail of suburban San Diego real estate agent Virginia Saenz. The 
message - which was in response to a desperate message Lucy received from her daughter - was that Lucy would send money to her daughter to buy groceries as requested, but at a great sacrifice.
The money she had was earmarked for a mortgage payment. Lucy’s own home is already in foreclosure, and the payment was for her deceased mother’s home, which she was trying to hang on to.
Virginia, hearing the desperation in Lucy’s voice, decided to intervene. She called Lucy and told her to make that house payment - then promised her she would provide groceries for her daughter. The agent then called the daughter to find out her needs.
“I asked her what she would like, what her kids like, and then I felt really bad because she said she only wanted eggs and milk,” said Virginia. “When someone only asks you for eggs and milk, they are in a really bad situation.”
Thanksgiving morning, Virginia and her teenaged son set out for the grocery store. She hoped her son could provide insight as to what kids liked to eat. She bought the fixings for a complete Thanksgiving dinner and enough staples to get Lucy’s daughter through until her next payday.
Thanksgiving took on a new meaning for Virginia and her family. Reaching out to help someone “made the day special for me,” she said. In her modesty, she said, “I helped somebody. I think it’s what anybody would have done.” We certainly would all like to think so.
Posted by Sharon Walker
Tags: lucy crutchfield, thanksgiving grocery help, virginia saenz
I bet this was a scam to get groceries!!
December 6th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
Thank You Lucy! Somebody has to step up to the plate and help others. What a wonderful example as a parent!
December 9th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
This just proves to me that there are Angels among us. Well done Virginia. I did the same thing recently for a local family and I did not care if it might have been a scam for groceries. If someone has to resort to lieing to get food, then I still view their situation as desperate.
December 21st, 2009 at 12:59 pm