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  1. #1
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    I got to witness something great that less then .00001 percent of people can ever do

    So this is a bit of a lengthy story but proves that we still have good people in this world and I think it is worth sharing.

    Two years ago friend of mine "Gary" is approached by "Dan" about the possibility of buying 20,000 acres in Belize with many improvements already in place. This property was owned by McAfee as in McAfee anti-virus software and was taken over by the government of Belize after McAfee fled to avoid being extradited on the murder charges of his neighbor in the U.S.. Dan had ties to government officials in Belize because his father had some farm operations near by. Gary and Dan put the deal together and Gary bought the project with the verbal agreement that Dan would oversee fixing everything up and cutting roads thru the property etc.
    "When McAfee left there, he had full on personal zoo and dozens of property keepers "it was complete with elephants, giraffes, and tigers etc". After he left, all of the payments to staff and support completly stopped, animals starved and many died-. This provoked the locals to break onto the property and they burned the main 28,000 sq. ft. log home to the ground but there was still 15 beautiful waterfront tiki hut homes, the 8500 sq. ft. guests house, the 4000 ft. runway, 2 air plane hangers, and fuel facility that needed to be brought up to par and maintained. Dan agreed to take on this position for 8k a month "he had over 125 people working to make this place something that Gary would be proud to bring friends and family". Gary's intent was to have a enough room for all of his friends if the U.S. really went to hell "an escape plan of sorts".

    The guy who owned the property next door "retired software guy from Northern CA." called Gary one day and said that he was having trouble keeping the locals off of his property and from using his landing strip as if it were theirs. It was drug traffickers and this made Gary really nervous. He told his neighbor to contact Dan and see what they could work out with getting some security from the local workforce that he had amassed. Dan called Gary and said that this guy was really upset and he was afraid it wasn't going to end well. Two weeks later they found the neighbor completely dismembered and his wife was getting death threats as well. Gary told Dan to vacate the grounds and get all of the people paid what ever they were owed "we don't need to have anyone killed and I am never going back down there" --we will find someone else that wants it and I will split whatever we make on it.

    Dan comes home and contacts a group of environmentalist from Europe that own 220,000 acres just to the North of this property. Dan then continues to negotiate the sale with locals and this party who wants to "save the earth and never cut another tree". As these negotiations are proceeding Dan discovers that he has liver cancer and ends up passing away approx. two months ago.

    I am at Gary's office today and he says "jump in the truck", I need to run a check over to someone. Halfway to Dan's house he tells me that they closed the Belize deal and they he was paid. We pull into Dan's property in New Smyrna Beach (a little bit rundown) 3 bedroom ranch on couple of acres and Gary says to me "come on'". We walked to the door and Dan's wife answered (she was on lunch break and is a 60 year old elementary teacher). She knew Gary because of Dan's dealing with the property and the pay that he had received for doing his part. She invited us in and proceeded to tell us that all of her life she worked to keep the mortgage paid and lights on while Dan was off trying to make millions. Gary simply said "I wish he was here to share this with you" and wrote her a check for $3,000,026.00 as Dan's portion of the sale proceeds (there was nothing in writing and she had zero knowledge of their verbal agreement). She simply thought Dan was trying to get Gary out of a bad situation and helping him correct a mistake. Gary then told her that the group was holding another $500,000.00 in escrow for 90 days to assure that no additional claims or clouds in title appeared and that she would get half of it when it gets released. She just cried with joy said I can't believe this is real.

    It was something to witness and he just changed that families life forever. SO COOL to have been there and have this guy as a friend....

    Joe

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Houston, TX
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    Your buddy is alright in my book. Bravo for the good guys.
    1990 Shadow bass boat w/ 2.4 200 Merc. Totally resto'd boat and love it!

  3. #3
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    Tennessee
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    Do to others as you would have others do to you
    97 xb2002 15" 300x w 1.62 sporty
    ( Haulin Bass) (108 mph so far
    (Rip. Whiteally02) -dad
    They call it the American dream, to bad you have to be asleep to believe it. - George Carlin

  4. #4
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    He's an incredible guy/mentor/business man. Several board members here have been personally affected by his actions.

    Joe

  5. #5
    Join Date
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    Belvidere IL, FARM
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    Best feel good thing I've read in a while - especially on here!! Thanks for sharing.
    God, Country, and Fast Boats
    SPECIAL BOAT TEAM 12/ HSB'S SOC NSWU-1

    _____________________________________________

    Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. And when your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that they weep and pray for more time that they may live there life over in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a Hero going home.

  6. #6
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    Sounds like your are being set up for a sting.

  7. #7
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    Great story! always liked hearing stories like this.Do the next right thing and the next think right.

  8. #8
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    Now that is very cool! Thanks for sharing this.

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