It is my pleasure and honor that I share some wonderful news with you all-
Abi Montes, an agent in the Las Olas office was nominated out of 205,000 Marines in the United States for the Marine Corps Times Marine of the Year for 2008. And out of the 205,000 US Marines he won 2nd place!
Congratulations Abi!
And I am not surprised after reading his Bio and letters of Recommendation.
“Gunnery Sergeant Montes enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 11, 1989. In 1990 he was deployed to Saudi Arabi and Kuwait for Combat Operations in Operation Desert Storm, where he served as a Tow Gunner with the 8th Tank Battalion. Shortly after the war he transferred back to the selected Marine Corps Reserve and in 1994 he was hired as a Firefighter for the City of Hollywood. He later was selected as an Honor Guard member to represent the City of Hollywood Fire Department in New York for the 9/11 Memorial Ceremony to Honor the fallen firefighters of the NYC Fire Department. In 2003 Gunnery Sergeant Montes was activated for combat in Operation Iraqui Freedom. Gunnery Sergeant Montes is also very active in his community and church. Eleven years ago he instigated the Fire Department involvement with the Marines for the Toys for Tots toy drive. For the last 8 years he has been mentoring children at the local Elementary Schools for students who do not have Fathers”.
As I was reading his recommendation letters, tears filled me eyes…The gratefulness I felt from these people was overwhelming. And it is no wonder, if it were not for Abi Montes, few of those people writing those letters, would be alive today to do such. I read of how in 2007 in Aguadilla, he was swimming with his cousin and nephew when they were all caught in a riptide, on a beach with no lifeguards and how Abi saved both their lives. Another letter is from a circuit judge who commends Abi for his quick thinking whilst he was on jury duty, he was stuck in the elevator with 10 jurors (one of which was an elderly lady). Cries for help and the elevator phone did not result in assistance. “…Mr. Montes used his knowledge as a firefighter. He pried open the doors, climbed to where there was a switch, triggered it and brought the elevator closer to the next floor, and then assisted all the passengers to climb out safely…” The letters go on and on with thanks from fellow soldiers wounded in combat in the middle of nowhere and Abi Montes, risking his life, running across the enemy line, in the line of fire with his first aid kit and patching them up, and ultimately saving their lives….
Who would have known, that this gentle, kind, funny, blogging, Real Estate Agent in my office was this bigger than life everyday hero?
I am blown away and very proud to work with him and to know of his heroic acts, and to be able to share this with the rest of our EWM Family.
Congratulations, Abi Montes, you are undoubtedly a Hero!