A Heartwarming Surprise: Tommy Garner Air Conditioning & Heating Helps Employee’s Friend Gain Greater Accessibility at Home

At Tommy Garner Air Conditioning & Heating, we believe in going above and beyond for our community – not only in providing top-notch service but in making a positive impact in the lives of those around us.

Recently, our company’s team put their hearts and their hands together to make a real difference for Stephanie Williams, an inspiring schoolteacher in Newport News who faces daily challenges with unbreakable resilience.

Stephanie, who teaches at Sedgefield Elementary School, lives with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), a genetic bone disorder that makes her bones fragile and confines her to a wheelchair. Despite the challenges she faces, she brings determination and joy to her classroom each day, breaking down barriers and making a difference for her students.

She even operates a free library book exchange in her neighborhood.

“She’s a natural,” says Dave Cherry, one of our valued service technicians who has known Stephanie for 17 years and become close friends with her and her family. “From getting her master’s in teaching to getting her doctorate in special education and being nominated for teacher of the year last year, her journey has been a real inspiration.”

Stephanie is one of four children. Each of her siblings also live with OI, as does her mother, given its hereditary nature. Life hasn’t been easy for any of them.

One of Stephanie’s goals had been to move out of her parents’ home. She eventually found the perfect home in her price range, but there was one challenge. A driveway of rocks and grass made getting her wheelchair from her car to the door difficult.

So she called “Uncle Dave,” the friend who was always there for her. “I had helped Stephanie and her family before, building ramps at all of their houses,” said Dave. “Helping is what I do.”

While Dave is quite handy with tools and equipment of all kinds, this particular project was going to be more than he could handle. “I was hoping to be able to rent the equipment, dig it out and buy some millings to fill it,” Dave explained. “But once I looked at it more closely, I realized it was out of my wheelhouse.”

Dave called company president Tommy Garner to get the names of some laborers who might be able to help him with Stephanie’s driveway. The response Dave received from Tommy blew him away.

Moved by Dave’s story and wanting to make life a little easier for Stephanie, Tommy decided to surprise them both having a concrete driveway fully installed. “Tommy floored me,” said Dave. “He said, ‘this will be a Dave Cherry project backed by Tommy Garner and we’re going to pour a double driveway.’”

Tommy contacted Scott Breeden of Breeden Concrete and arranged to have the entire driveway prepped and poured with concrete at no cost to Stephanie. “I was expecting maybe a few laborers and some planning assistance,” said Dave, who confesses to getting teary just thinking about it. “But it’s not the first time Tommy has helped me personally, without being asked.”

For Dave, such generosity means the world. “I’ll never work anywhere else,” Dave says. “You don’t find many companies like that who give back to the community on a basis of not expecting anything back.”

With her new driveway, Stephanie can now navigate more smoothly and independently in and out of her home – a small change that brings big benefits to her daily life. She even operates a free library book exchange in her neighborhood, creating a safe place to promote reading.

For Dave, this wasn’t just about providing assistance; it was a testament to the close-knit values we share at Tommy Garner Air Conditioning & Heating. As a company, we’re proud to be a part of stories like Stephanie’s, where a little kindness and community support go a long way.

“When I go by her house, I’m still in awe,” says Dave.

We are honored to be part of a team that cares deeply for each other and for our neighbors. This story is a reminder of how even small gestures can make a lasting impact on the lives of those we care about.

To learn more about our company’s culture of community involvement, click here.