A Personal United Way Story from a Bridgestone/Firestone employee:

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I try to always give my fair share when supporting the United Way.  Here is why:  September 1995 to December 1995, was a very trying time in my life.  In September of 1995, I finished 6 years of military service in the U.S. Air Force and came back to Wilson to live.  I was stationed in Spain at the time I had gotten out of the Air Force and my first son was born in Spain in September 1995, the same month that I left.  I had to leave my son and his mother in Spain because his mother was still in the Air Force and still stationed there.  Sadly, on December 7, 1995, my son died of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) while still in Spain with his mother.  The events after my son’s death have left me always grateful to the Lord and the United Way (RED CROSS).  A few hours after the death of my son, the (RED CROSS) contacted me and told me the devastating news.  I contacted my son’s mother and began the process of getting my son’s remains to Wilson.

The following day, I contacted the RED CROSS and they began what I thought would be a long  and drawn out process of  bringing my sons remains and his mother back to the United States for a funeral.  Here is what just blew me away.  Not only did the RED CROSS get my son’s remains back to the states in only a few days, but all I had to do was to plan the funeral.  Yes, the RED CROSS paid for all funeral costs.  Let me say this again, the RED CROSS paid for ALL funeral costs.  And, the RED CROSS also paid for my son’s mother to return to the United States from Spain.  I can’t even begin to tell you what I would had done if it had not been for, of course, the Lord, first, then, the help of the RED CROSS.  I had just started working at Firestone back in November of 1995, but it was only with Temporary Services.  I had no burial insurance for myself, let alone for my son.  So, my plans are to always give my fair share to the UNITED WAY.  They didn’t have to do what they did for me.  But, by the grace of God, they did.  Thank you again RED CROSS.
 

Kelvin Lamb
Bridgestone-Firestone