Man Pays Utility Bills for 114 Struggling Families: ‘I Want to Share What I Have’

A man in Gulf Breeze, Florida, is getting into the Christmas spirit once again by paying overdue utility bills for 114 families.

“This year to me probably is more meaningful than last year with the pandemic and all the people out of work having to stay home,” said 74-year-old Michael Esmond, the New York Post reported.

The pool installation company owner paid over $7,600 this year to help the families keep their lights on, according to the city’s utility billing supervisor, Joanne Oliver.

“People can’t afford to pay their bills and put food on the table, so I hope doing my part and paying some bills for these folks takes a little bit of stress off of them around Christmas time,” Esmond explained.

In 2019, the generous business owner paid $4,600 to help over 30 families pay their water and gas bills.

Esmond said he understands what his neighbors are going through because in 1983, he and his three daughters spent Christmas with no heat or power.

“I can relate to people suffering and not being able to pay bills. That’s probably one of the biggest motivators for me because I’ve been there,” he commented.

This year, Esmond said many of the families he assisted had bills under $100 but were still unable to make the payments due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

“That really impacted me — that people can’t even afford to pay a $100 bill on their utilities and things are so bad,” he noted. “That’s why I was able to pay for 114 families.”

Although Esmond feels somewhat guilty over knowing his business did well this year while so many others are struggling, he is using it as an opportunity to help his fellow man.

“We’ve had a good year, and that’s why I want to share what I have with the people who need it,” he concluded.