FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A family has endured some unimaginable pain in the past two years. Friday morning came a wonderful surprise.
"What was his calling in life?" I asked Kelly Perez about husband Carlos.
"To be a dad," she smiled.
When Kelly and Carlos adopted Zachary as a baby, they were ready for the challenges.
"He was addicted to drugs the first couple months of his life," Kelly said. "It was lots and lots of physical therapy and speech to get him to where he needs to be."
It was two years ago Carlos got a hard diagnosis.
"Stage 3 rectal cancer at the age of 38," Kelly said.
The family found a refuge in watching the Preds.
"We would go to all the games just to have a minute to not think about cancer," Kelly continued. "He just wanted us to have memories."
Carlos died in August.
Kelly came to Retirement Solutions Group Friday morning to talk to co-owner Ryan Moore.
"We have a niche focus of helping people transition into retirement," he said.
Coming in, Kelly knew she was a finalist for a year's worth of paid housing through a partnership between Retirement Solutions Group and the Gradient Gives Back Foundation. When she first arrived, she didn't realize all the staff was hiding until just the right moment. There was no finalist interview. The Perez family had already been picked.
"On behalf of Retirement Solutions Group and the Gradient Gives Back Foundation, we'd like to award you with a year's worth of housing payments," Ryan said to Kelly as the staff stood around her family. "We want you to know you are not on this journey alone. We are here to support you."
"We just talked!" Kelly laughed, looking down at son Zachary. "He said, 'mommy, you cry too much! It embarrases me!"
"This is not designed to be a hand-out, this is more of a hand-up," Ryan later told me. "This is giving them the ability, in Kelly's case, to get back on her feet."
"I'm grateful," Kelly said. "I'm very grateful. It gives me a little ability to breathe, so I can focus on healing with my son and my daughter."
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
