While Norman Beckman was in the hospital, a pipe burst and caused $3,000 worth of damage. Fortunately, his neighbors were happy to help him out.
Earlier this year, an 84-year old Wisconsin man, Norman Beckman, became ill and spent three months in the hospital. When he returned home, he discovered a nasty surprise: the water pipes in his house had frozen, causing more than 44,000 cubic feet of water to leak into his residence. Although the damage to his home was minimal, Beckman’s water bill wasn’t as fortunate: he got slammed with a $3,000 bill, which he didn’t have the money to pay.
Fortunately, Beckman could rely on friends and family to help him out. A neighbor, Bryan Kassube, started a drive to collect donations to pay Beckman’s water bill. After only a week, he’d managed to collect more than enough to pay the bill: $4,027. “I’m still getting calls from people who want to donate,” he told the Appleton Post-Cresent.
Beckman is overwhelmed by the generosity of his hometown, and plans to donate the excess funds to the Salvation Army. “I’ve always had a good opinion of the Salvation Army. I served in World War II and they were always there for the soldiers,” he said.
Just like his neighbors have been there for him. “It tells me there are many ways we can be proud of this community,” he said.