He jumped a train and never looked back
You may have heard me tell this story before.
burden on his family, he decided that he was old enough to make his own way in life.
Telling no one, he jumped on that train and never looked back. Â
Life out west was tough, but he enjoyed the freedom and the rewards of hard work.
After many years, William returned home to Detroit. He now had enough money to help his family and start a business.
While William was out west, he developed a network of contacts and a supply of coal suitable for your stove and furnace. His friend had trucks that could deliver the coal. Instantly, their business was born.
They served the community well and were successful for many years. Â
Just like his family, others in the area would occasionally fall on tough times. And when they came to him, William would always accept a trade or IOU in lieu of cash for coal to heat homes in the winter.
It’s just how he was.
As he was getting older, William told his children that if anything happened to him, that they should go to the office and burn all of the IOUs.
I’m not sure his kids understood why he said this, but it is obvious now. Â
I was only a few years old when he passed, yet I feel like his love has been with me forever. He shaped my life in ways that I’ll never understand and for that I am eternally grateful.
Every kid needs heroes, and it’s extra special when you can count your Grandpa as one.
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