Happy Veterans Day!
This time in November, we at Advanced Bio Treatment, along with the rest of our amazing country, dedicate our thoughts to the sacrifice and perseverance of our American veterans. The sacrifices that the men and women of our military make go deeper than most of us realize. Of course there is the ultimate sacrifice that we are all humbled by, but there are a multitude of comforts that these men and women do not enjoy. They must move at the command of their officer, sometimes across the country, sometimes across the world, with little to no notice. Families live apart for months or years when a mother or father is deployed. What about those who are single? They are sometimes required to leave behind companion pets, give up the comforts of their bed, home, neighborhood, and all of the little personal items that make our days easier. Holidays? Many of the women and men who serve our country will not celebrate Thanksgiving with their families later this month. They may feel fortunate to FaceTime their children on Christmas morning, or may say their first “I love you” of 2017 over the phone at midnight on New Year’s Eve.
Home Sweet What?
Alberto, now a U.S. veteran, made all of these sacrifices. He can tell you amazing stories of deployment over the past 25 years; the places he’s been and the things he’s seen, both beautiful and tragic, would astound you. But Alberto made another type of sacrifice on his final deployment. He was deployed for just over 19 months to Afghanistan and arrived home last year to quite a surprise. Alberto was welcomed home by squatters living in his home. At first, Alberto was angry, but he was moved to sympathy by their stories of misfortune and illness and attempted to help the couple who were illegally using his home and referred them to an organization supported by his hometown church. He agreed to spend his first night home in a hotel with the arrangement that the couple would clean up and leave by morning. The couple declined help from Alberto’s church but they quickly vacated the home before Alberto arrived mid-morning. They left behind, however, more than cleaning for Alberto.
It was the smell that I didn’t understand at first. I thought maybe they had attempted to clean up with some harsh chemicals, but honestly the place was so trashed I knew no one had been scrubbing anything.
Advanced Bio Treatment on Call
Alberto had only spoken with the couple in the foyer the day before, but it only took walking into the kitchen of his vacated home the next morning to reveal all he needed to know to call Advanced Bio Treatment.
A big black garbage bag was taped covering the kitchen window facing my neighbor’s house and my sink was full of these bottles, like cough medicine or something.
Alberto called 911 and then 1-800-295-1684, our 24-hour emergency line.
I didn’t want to touch anything, because it was obvious something illegal was going on. I mean, other than stealing my house!
As if it weren’t enough that Alberto had served his country, put his life on the line for American freedom, and come home to start his new life of retirement to find squatters that he approached compassionately, Alberto put two drug manufactures behind bars. He discovered a wad of cash and a driver’s license in an upper cabinet that successfully lead police to the capture of the people who were illegally living and running a methamphetamine lab in his home.
Thank you Alberto, and thank you to all men and women who serve in our military forces. Happy Veteran’s Day!
