In 2007, Vickie lost her husband of 30 years in a tragic accident. It was a normal Saturday afternoon, right before Thanksgiving, when Vickie was returning to her home in North Carolina, the home they just purchased following his retirement after he dedicated the first part of his career to the NAVY and serving his country. This home was their dream home, their forever home, and for the first-time the home that they planned to be in for many years to come. There were no more transfers, moves, or new homes in their future but that all changed suddenly on that Saturday afternoon.

When Vickie walked into the house from the salon she found her husband laying on the floor at the bottom of the stairs, she heard the sirens of and fire trucks and an ambulance off in the distance when she was pulling into the driveway, having no inclination that they may be coming to their home, to her husband’s aid, but they were. Vickie saw her husband’s friend and co-worker standing over him, trying to help, trying to save him. The emergency responders arrived within seconds but it was all too late.

For the next twelve hours, surgeons and physicians attempted to do all they could to bring life back to her husband. Their son, who lived in Little Rock at the time rushed to catch a flight to come to his father’s bedside. The doctors could do no more, Vickie’s husband had lost too much blood, had to many internal injuries, and did not make it. He passed seconds after his son arrived at his side and at 49 years old, Vickie was a widow in the blink of an eye.

This is a tragic story, and a story that would put many into their grave had it happened to their spouse, but in the weeks following, Vickie, being the strong, loyal, and level headed military wife she had been for so many years found the strength to go forward, to handle the financial obligations, to trench through the paperwork, and find her way.

Her son was a successful financial professional himself, and unbeknown to Vickie had been working with his father just weeks before the accident to review and amend his life insurance policies making sure that, if the unexpected were to ever happen, that Vickie would never need to worry about her financial security. Her son helped her navigate through the paperwork and processes, making the final arrangements for his father, and was there for her until he had to return to work and go back to Little Rock. After which, Vickie was alone. For the first time in over three decades there was no one at home, the forever home was no longer a home but the place where life was changed forever, and the future was no longer as it was once envisioned.