Repairman Fixes Furnace to Prevent Newborn from Freezing, Slips Dad a Note

Rummaging through the drawers finding names of repair companies near their house in the middle of winter, Jesse started to panic. His mind couldn’t think straight because he was unprepared for the sudden event. But something miraculous happened.

Sometimes, when you hit rockbottom, all you need is a sign to tell you to keep your chin up. Never in his wildest dreams did Jesse Hulscher imagine that a random stranger would be the one to see how much he needed help.

Everyone has their typical American dream. However, not everyone will have that dream become a reality for them in their lifetime. Not all people will have the means to sustain both themselves and their families. Unfortunately, the Hulscher's family was one of those who faced life difficulties. It was worse when they realized they had a baby on the way.

Maria and Jesse became parents at a young age. Their journey had been tough. They had to worry about two things — bills and family. Ever since Maria gave birth to their first child, Jesse had been the one who worked to sustain the family.

Building your own family at a young age poses a huge challenge. It’s hard to juggle the uncertainty of an early career with a full family and Jesse was more than aware of this now. He and his family lived in Willmar, Minnesota. For several years after having their first child, Jesse had been sustaining his family working as a development consultant at a company.

After a year, Maria and Jesse had their second baby, they were so happy about it but also worried. Knowing that Jesse was the only one who worked for the family, his salary wasn’t also that high. However, he was still happy and willing to provide for his family’s needs. Little did he know that he was still halfway there toward hardships.

The day came when their second born was born to the world. Jesse and Maria had already prepared everything to welcome their baby boy. Both hearts were so fulfilled, looking forward to each day they would spend with him.

Several months had passed, and Maria and Jesse were still holding on. Despite having financial problems, they still managed to provide their two little boys with a comfortable life. They had no idea what was about to happen next.

After their second baby was two years old, Maria found she was pregnant with their third baby. Even though she was happy to know about it, Maria was also worried about telling everything to Jesse. It was another responsibility, after all, and she didn’t know how he would react.

After two days, Maria finally decided to tell everything to Jesse. That same day Jesse came home from work, Maria told him everything. She saw that Jesse was so happy about it but still looked very worried. She completely understood how he felt.

Jesse was always present on every prenatal test of Maria. Fortunately, everything was good, and the baby was always healthy. The couple was so happy and excited to see their third sunshine. At the same time, Jesse was working double shifts to earn more money.

After a few weeks, Jesse counted the months when the baby would be due. He suddenly realized that it would be winter before the baby was born. Worse, winters in Minnesota were terrible. Everything always froze over and it would be really bad for a newborn without adequate preparation.

Knowing that in a few months, the third baby would come out any time. Jesse saved up extra money to prepare warmers for the newborn. He stacked up tons of blankets that could warm up the baby once it arrived. But Jesse was about to face a huge dilemma.

On the morning of February 22, the National Weather Service reported that there would be a storm forecasted to come on the day when the baby would be delivered. Maria and Jesse started to worry for their future healthy baby. They thought that even though the baby was healthy on the tests but it might get sick due to winter.

When the couple discovered that a storm will come in March, they started to save money after buying blankets to make sure that they are ready for the newborn. Jesse did not know everything would get worse.

March was almost here but Maria suddenly felt that the baby wasn’t going to wait anymore and was about to come out. She had been experiencing symptoms and minor contractions. Jesse double checked everything in the house that were essential for their coming baby. 

Maria finally delivered the baby safely. Jesse was beyond excited to welcome them in their house. He made sure everything was ready that week to welcome the newborn properly.

Jesse could not help but worry on the news where a storm would come. He knew that when heavy snowfall happened in Minnesota, people often had no choice but to stay indoors. But for Jesse, he had to pick up Maria and the baby from the hospital.

The day came when Jesse had to pick up his wife and newborn baby at the hospital. He double checked everything in the house so he could properly welcome them. After making sure all were complete, he had a quick shower and discovered something horrifying.

When Jesse turned on the shower, it was cold when he finished taking a bath. He realized that the heater wasn’t working and it was a bad timing. Temperatures were likely to drop below 30°F (-1°C) that evening. The baby would get sick if their heater wasn’t working in the middle of winter. He knew he had to do something.

Jesse contacted all the nearby repair shop, including the last person who worked for them. Unfortunately, none of them were free because they were fully booked that day. Jesse was about to cry in worry.

Jesse was so worried for their baby but then he remembered an important memory. He was once told by their neighbor that he knew someone who had an AC heating business. Jesse immediately reached out to the neighbor and got their contact details.

The company name was Magnuson Sheet Metal and they provided services for AC heaters. He tried his best to convey the situation when he called them and spoke to co-owner, Craig Aurand. Within 20 minutes of hanging up, a repairman was at his house thanks to his successful plea. They were able to repair the furnace and turn on the heat.

Jesse knew that an emergency call also meant bigger cost and he was so worried about it. Their budget was so tight and it would be difficult to pay for it once he received the bill. Nevertheless, he just took care of his family until the day of billing came.

The service performed at Jesse's home was described on the invoice as "Repair furnace. Clean burners and pilot assembly, however there was no charge listed; instead, there was this note: "No charge. Take care of the new baby.” 

The Hulschers were greatly affected by this act of goodwill. It allowed them to enjoy their new baby's first days at home without worrying about the furnace bill and instead concentrate on the joy and delight of the occasion. They were moved beyond words. Jesse was aware that he needed to take action to guarantee Magnuson Sheetmetal received recognition for their thoughtful gesture.

Jesse was so touched and decided to give the company a simple recognition. He shared the thoughtful act on his social media account and it reached thousands of people. Prompting a Minneapolis news station to air the story.

Craig has reportedly been known to assist families in need by waiving small debts or working on holidays, according to the KMSP story. It didn't take long for comments to begin pouring in, confirming that Magnuson Heating and Cooling had performed similar services for other people in the neighborhood, fixing furnaces and other appliances without charge in the hopes that the grateful recipient would return the favor to another person in need.

Soon, everyone was aware of the wonderfully thoughtful act. Craig, though, is adamant that he didn't lend a hand as a marketing gimmick; rather, he was simply doing what came easily to him. "We just did it because we're decent people; we didn't do it for the publicity. That's all there is to it. Just for these people's sake," he said. Despite this, it is obvious that the company has gained the community's trust.

One commenter said, "It is a gift to have businesses like yours who not only do amazing work but also take care of your community."  Writing about genuine integrity is worthwhile. Another person wrote, "I wish every company operated with the high standards and first-rate service of Magnuson". Additionally, the Hulschers themselves made a guarantee to remain devoted clients.

The broken furnace event happen many years ago, yet the tale is still widely known. Reviews start piling up on Craig's business' Google listing page as more people learn about his generosity.