Florida man pays $7,600 to cover dozens of neighbors’ past-due utility bills
In a second act of kindness, a Florida business owner is covering the overdue utility bills for 114 families at risk of losing service so close to the holiday season. Michael Esmond's act of giving is a repeat of last year when he paid the utility bills for 36 families in the panhandle city of Gulf Breeze just before Christmas. Esmond, who owns Gulf Breeze Pools & Spa near Pensacola, told Fox News he donated $7,615 this year as the city faces an economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic and Hurricane Sally. "We're in an area here that's a big vacation area and our summer was devastated," Esmond said.