Entertaining an Angel
Posted December 15, 2010
“What I see with Victor is how much he cares about his customers. He cares enough to hug you,” says Marc.
EVERY ONCE IN A BLUE MOON you meet someone whose spirit shines brighter than the morning sun.
That’s Victor Billingsley.
Victor awakens early every morning. Come rain, snow, sleet, or hail, he boards a City of Homewood, Alabama, sanitation truck and sets out to one of the more affluent neighborhoods in the Birmingham suburb. For the next few hours, you’ll find him pulling trash cans from the backs of homes and pushing them to the side of the road. His job title may read “Street and Sanitation Engineer,” but to the people on his route, Victor is more than just the trash man.
“I just can’t tell you how incredible I think this man is,” says Marc Corsini, one of Victor’s clients and closest friends. “What I see with Victor is how much he cares about his customers. He cares enough to hug you, to talk to you, and to give you a smile. The one thing I never expected, though, is that he also became one of my best buddies.”
Victor’s laugh is generous and disarming. “That’s my big brother,” he says of Marc. “I love that guy. He’s a wonderful guy.”
Victor walks three to four miles during his route in the oppressive humidity of August and the bitter chill of February, when the rain beats down on his brow and sleet stings his cheeks. He has to shoo away snakes and raccoons and spiders just to do his work. Yet, he says, there is no other job he would rather have. “I love my job,” he says with a laugh. “Everybody knows me over there.”
Victor and Marc became friends 10 years ago, shortly after Victor took over the Hollywood neighborhood route. Marc, a business coach who trains executive professionals and sales people, was walking his Bichon Frise puppy one early morning when he noticed the garbage man walk up to his neighbor and give him a big bear hug. “They embraced like brothers who had not seen each other for years. And I just had to smile,” Marc recalls.
It wasn’t long before Marc and Victor were sharing the same brotherly hugs. “We started talking a little bit more and more and the next thing I know we are sharing stories about our families,” Marc says.
It’s easy to feel at ease with Victor. He takes time to listen to others and truly cares how they are doing. “Sometimes I’m working, and God just puts it in my heart to talk to people. I have to be obedient and hear what they have to say because we all need each other,” he says. That means speeding up to walk with stroller-pushing moms, or slowing down to ask the real estate agent on the street how business is going.
It’s that spirit that moves Victor every Christmas morning to pull out a stack of Christmas cards. “I sit down, and I tell all my customers what they mean to me,” he says. Then he drives to his route and hand-delivers the cards. “I just have to thank the people for being so nice.”
Victor’s kind heart was a gift from his mother. Nettie Billingsley raised her 13 children to truly love and respect others. “She was a wonderful lady. A strong lady. She opened her home to everybody who didn’t have one. If she knew someone couldn’t pay their rent, she would pay it for them. If someone couldn’t pay for a loved one to be buried, she’d take care of it. She was a wonderful mother. A wonderful lady.”
Marc says their respect for their mothers was one thing they had in common. “We are both mother’s boys. Our mothers are very important to us,” Marc says. “When my mother died seven years ago, we grieved together.”
When Victor lost his mother less than two years ago, Marc was there for him. “He walked up to me and before he could say anything he started crying,” Marc said. “That’s what you do when you’re truly friends. You share intimate moments.”
Marc has been so moved by his friendship with Victor over the years that he has used the story of their friendship to show his clients how important it is to look beyond the client-customer relationship and to value people for who they are inside. “What I have learned from Victor is that it does not matter what someone does for a living, what color they are, or where they come from. If you are open, there are people who can affect your life everywhere,” he says. “Victor taught me that he’s not my trash man, he’s my friend.”
Victor’s laugh lights the distance between us. He doesn’t dismiss the compliments and says many of his customers have sent letters to the City of Homewood over the years praising his kind gestures and caring nature. He says it’s just the right thing to do. After all, as Victor says, “You never know when you might be entertaining an angel.”
MARC CORSINI is a Regions customer.
comments (44)
What a heartwarming story! Victor put a smile on my face today. Thank you Victor!
MistyThank God we still have earthly angels with a loving and caring spirit. Be Blessed this Holiday Season.
Sylvia BonnerWhat a wonderful, heart warming lesson for our own lives. We are often so consumed with the Who, What, When, Why, and How's of life, that we forget to embrace one another individually. Thank you :)
AIESHAWhat a beautiful story. I am so very thankful that God saw fit to give us this story so close to Christmas. It helps us value the true meaning of Christmas. It is loving someone more than yourself and wanting to see them smile.
Sandy FosterThis story just made my holiday. It was very touching.
MelanieWhat a wonderful article! Victor knows what being a friend and developing relationships is all about!
CarolineThis story is truly inspiring. To know that there are people in the world that care about other people teaches us all to not only live life for ourselves, but rather live life for each other. You never whose life you may inspire by simply showing them that you care.
Traci J. SandersWOW!!!
BristanWOW - What an inspiring story. May we all have a Marc & Victor in our lives....better yet - may we all be a Marc & a Victor to others in our lives!
Pam HattSounds like both of you are angels!!!!! Thank you for this beautiful story of true friendship and I hope you both have a very merry Christmas!!!!!
robin beardThis story really blessed my spirit.
CassandraI'm visiting for Christmas. Victor came by yesterday. My dad can't wait for visits from Victor! Daddy had made a Christmas card in return this year for him. Then Victor told him yesterday about this nice interview.
Lisa BlandThis story lets the world know that God is still good and we can still show love, peace, and kindness to all men and there are angels walking among us daily, we just have to have the heart to receive them!
Victoria EmanuelWONDERFUL story! Thank you for sharing.
SarahWOW!!! We don't know who the Lord will send in our life to be a blessing. Thanks so much for this story.
JeanetteI am so thankful to you for sharing your story. You always hear of the bad things or bad people and very seldom hear of good anymore. People need to know that even in this world with drugs, violence and still a little racism, there are still good people doing great things, like showing love.
Georgia KirbyThanks for sharing this beautiful story with us!! What a blessing to know such great people. :)
Juliet McGregorVictor sounds like the kind of person we should all strive to be. Money is nice, but it does not make up for character or lack of character. It sounds like Victor had the right role models and took the lessons to heart. Our station in life should not be the deciding factor in who we are; who we are starts from within. Victor would be a success with his determination no matter what the job was. Thank you, Victor, for showing pride in yourself and in your job.
Judy BatesWhat a great story and a wonderful friendship!! I LOVE when Victor says, "You never know when you might be entertaining an angel." We all need to think of that more often.
BeckyThank you for this wonderful story. We should all treat one another as though we are entertaining an angel.
Kelly JenkinsWe are on Victor's route as well and he is such a special person! He always greets us with a huge smile and hugs our boys. It is so nice to see someone take such pride in doing a job that none of us could do without. We love Victor too!!!
Daphne DickinsonThis story really touch my heart.To know that some people are looking at the heart. Giving a person a chance to show love. God is love!!!
PatLovely!!
Gyllayes, there are angels among us!
CatherineWOW!!! This brought me to tears!
Johnnie MVery touching story. Thanks for sharing!!
Teresa BaierlWhat a great story! This story touched me even more when I read this because I know Victor as well. I see him every Monday & Thursday morning. He is such a hard worker and you can tell he truly loves his job and customers!
Sara JenningsVery touching...
SalbinaI met Victor 10 years ago on a rainy day in Walmart parking lot. He offered to help me change a flat. We've kept in touch and been friends every since.He's truly a real friend and amazing guy!!!
Kelvin JohnsonWhat a wonderful story. It is good to hear about good people for a change.
JanetThis story just warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes. If only we all could have the same caring heart as Victor imagine what this world would be like.
LaTarshaWhat a touching story! I think we all can learn from Victor and Marc. Real friends are a treasure. It seems as though both Victor and Marc understand the value of having a friend. This is a beautiful story.
AngelaThis story made me cry. It was touching. Everyone should take this story to heart and smile no matter what else is going on in their lives.
DebbieI too am lucky enough to live in Homewood and have the same experience with the sanitation workers in my neighborhood. They are all such amazing people and have such big hearts and no matter what have a smile on their face! Thanks for sharing, Marc.
MeaghenWhat a blessing to have such a great person in this world. I can only hope that one day someone would have such nice things to say about me. Love thy neighbor :)
Deborah MartinIf only everyone would have the kindness to treat others this way, the world would be a better place! Thanks for sharing.
SamanthaThis a heart felt story.
VernettI absolutely LOVE that last statement!! It warmed up my heart for sure. Thank you for sharing!! (:
Lannon-_Thats my father i love you dad that was very touching keep up the good work your the best dad in the entire world i love you forever and always from your special daughter diamond...!!!
Diamonique williamsVictor is an inspiration to all. He let us all know there is a GOD.
Mary AnnThis is a special article, and I can also share this person kind hearted spirit. He is a great father, and a loveable person to everyone. Victor, I am very bless to share our daughter with you. GOD places angels all around us, and you are an angel indeed. Marc, I do not know you personally, however, you do not have to know a person, to see that angels are always upon us. May GOD bless you both.
Flatima / AllysonGOD have away of placing his ANGELS in your life. I met Victor in a special way. We talked on my job and he touch my life by praying for me.
NicoleGOD BLESS YOU
TEEThis is an amazing story, this story shows that his job is not a job, but a ministry.
Kimberlyn