CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- There are two things Victor Chavis is extremely proud of. His strong Native American heritage as part of the Lumbee Tribe and his service in the U.S. Navy.
Mementos reflecting both adorn the walls of his South Chesterfield home. Chavis was injured and received a Purple Heart for his service. He admits the past few weeks had him on edge.
A $1400 electricity bill that he couldn’t pay kept him awake at night. His anxiety is because he relies on an Oxygen machine daily, and even sleeps with it.
He turned to CBS 6 Problem Solvers for help reaching out to Dominion Energy, who put him on a payment plan and agreed to do an energy audit of his home. A veterans group helped Mr. Chavis with a portion of the bill and the help continues to come in.
After our story aired other CBS 6 viewers contacted us, wanting to help Mr. Chavis with the remainder of his bill and with future electricity bill payments. “I'm very thankful. If there is a way I can pay them back, I’m willing to do it. I mean, I’m grateful we have people in the world like that,” Chavis said.
Victor Chavis
He was floored by the kindness of strangers who contacted CBS 6 Problem Solvers.
One, was a widow whose husband Alonza Jefferson was killed last year on Route 288 by a drunk driver. She told CBS 6 the community showed much love to her family during that extremely difficult time. She felt her husband would want her to help Mr. Chavis. She made the call because she just wanted to pay it forward.
Another CBS 6 viewer who was featured on Problem Solvers in recent months also wanted to pay it forward. She and her son contacted us to donate to Mr. Chavis, so he won’t have to worry about his bill and can rest a little easier.
“If it wasn’t for people like that lady and the other man. I mean, what would the world be? Nothing but a lot of chaos. I really love that. When you told me that, it put tears in my eyes. I mean, I’m grateful that we have people in the world like that” Chavis said.
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