A KINDHEARTED CHRISTMAS GESTURE

For some people it takes a lifetime for anyone to see their greatness and impact on the people around them. For others, it may only take a small gesture or even just a conversation to change someone’s life. Jeremy Sturgill, also know as “Lumpy” to many of the Bay Area natives, showed his greatness in his short but never forgotten 35 years of life. His unexpected death was a tragedy to the community and of course his lovely family as well. He was the owner of the famous Lumpys Diners in a few cities of the Bay Area. Throughout the years lumpy showed his greatness and love for his community many times. Always having fundraisers and supporting anyone and everyone that he could. His thoughtfulness never went unnoticed. That is why I am writing about him today. Even tho he has passed I will never forget what he personally did for my family as well. Almost 4 years ago now Lumpy had a fundraiser going for a family in need at Christmas time. At the time, my family was in desperate need and we weren’t able to give my little sister the Christmases that she wanted. I was 17 and a senior in high school. Even being a little embarrassed I went ahead and wrote a letter to him telling him about my families situation. All I wanted was to see my family have real smiles on their faces on Christmas morning. Within a few days I received an email back saying he would like to meet with me. The day had come and he told me that he wanted to help my family on Christmas and make sure that we had everything we needed. That Christmas changed my families life. He took me grocery shopping and bought us gift cards for food, paid for our bills for the month, bought my little sister the presents she asked for from “Santa”,my mother a beautiful necklace for me to give her, and lastly a Christmas Tree that we still put up in my house every year. Lumpy helping me surprise my mother with all of these things is something that shows more than just greatness, but someone with a huge heart and true love for his community. Jeremy Sturgill will never be forgotten and he will forever be missed by my family as well. Now it is our turn as a community to give back and show our appreciation of his greatness and give to his family like he did to ours and those around us.