Giving Back To A Vet Who Gave It All

Giving Back To A Vet Who Gave It All

Name: James Barnes

Job Title: Branch Manager

Business: PRMG, Austin, Texas

How much was your best deal?

It was a VA Loan for $190,000 for a severely disabled veteran.

What made it your best deal?

James was able to get the veteran into a home that was three times the size of an apartment he was sharing with his wife and young daughter. All for $50 more than the rent he was paying with nothing out of his pocket.

What else?

Back in the fall of 2001, patriotic Americans rushed to join the military to avenge the attack on United States’ soil. James’ borrower was among them. He enrolled but his service to our country would be cut tragically short when he broke his neck in basic training. Suddenly, the soldier was paralyzed and unable to work.

When James met him, the man and his family were living in what was charitably described as a very small apartment. The soldier’s credit was horrible. Daily, collectors from student loan companies and the hospital where he was flown to harangued him. James realized after talking to him that his student loans could be struck from his credit due to the accident and got them removed. He then called the hospital and asked why they thought he should be paying the bill for all of his surgery since he was hurt in basic training. James sent them the paperwork to prove the date of service was that date he had his accident in basic.

At the end, James got all of those bills removed and collectors stopped calling. That took his credit score from low 500’s to 695. The county waived the soldier’s taxes and a local veterans hall volunteers built him a wheelchair ramp to his front door.

The soldier went from a 700 sq. ft. apartment to a 1900 sq. ft. house for the basically the same price as his apartment. He was so happy his family would have decent place to grow up.

Photo credit: iStockphoto / SteveDF

What else?

“Sadly, he passed away from cancer about 10 years later but I know I made a huge difference in that family’s life,” James said.

James Barnes

Contributed photo

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