3 days ago
Woman receives new A/C unit after weeks in the heat
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the summer quickly approaches and the temperatures continue to rise, this is the time when having air conditioning is the most important.
Last week, we introduced you to a 71-year-old retired teacher who told us she was getting the runaround from her home warranty company, which said they were unable to get her air conditioner replaced.
Now, after five weeks of no A/C, WREG was there as she got a new unit for free with the help of a good Samaritan.
'I appreciate it so very much,' Sharron Finney said.
A WREG crew was there Tuesday as Sharron Finney had a brand-new air conditioning unit installed.
ORIGINAL STORY: 'Nerve-wracking and upsetting': Woman frustrated by warranty delays for A/C repair
Just a week ago, we were there as she sat in the dark, trying to stay cool after she said she spent weeks going back and forth with her home warranty company to replace her broken A/C.
At first, they said they didn't have a part. Then, she said they didn't provide her with any other option than to pay $5,000.
She told WREG that she'd been with American Home Shield for 20 years.
But today, she's thankful.
'I'm blessed and amazed,' Finney said.
We reached out to American Home Shield and them them her story.
However, she had advocate Michael Highfill helping her.
Ms. Finney, a 71-year-old retired teacher, was referred to him by a friend. He immediately stepped in to help.
'I've been in the heating and air business since 2011, I've been a firefighter-paramedic for 44 years,' Highfill said. ' [I'm] kinda service oriented, but the thing was, I've dealt with these home warranty companies since I started in this business.'
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He added that he also has a legal background and acted like her spokesperson.
'This lady has paid her dues to society, she's paid her dues to this home warranty company and in the end, she got what she deserved,' Highfill said.
Finney said his care to help someone he barely knows meant the world to her.
'It means my dad is still alive on Earth because he always believed in random acts of kindness.'
She now looks forward to a much cooler home.
'I appreciate Channel 3 news for taking the time to think that this was important enough toreach out and let other people see,' Finney said.
'It also shows that not all news is bad,' Highfill said. 'There's still good things that happen.'
For others in a similar situation, Highfill offered some advice.
'Take that money that you're putting into a home warranty, put it in a savings account,' he said. 'Get on apps like Nextdoor, find people that you can trust, that other people trust to come do your work.'
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