05/16/2026
Some transactions stay with you forever. ❤️
Everyone has a story.
One of the greatest gifts of being in real estate is that I don’t just sell property… I get to meet people, hear their hearts, and build friendships far beyond the closing table.
A few months ago, this sweet couple walked into our office thinking they *might* want a second home in Bay St. Louis. They were quiet, uncertain, and honestly didn’t seem very excited about the process. I assumed maybe they were just nervous.
We spent the morning looking at homes, and after seeing several properties, I asked which one they loved most. They said they needed time to think and pray about it. Totally normal.
Not long after I got back to the office, they called and asked if I could meet them back at the last home we toured.
When I arrived, things felt different. We walked through the home quietly, but there was a peace there. We sat down at the kitchen bar to talk through what an offer might look like, and I gently told them not to make an emotional decision. I encouraged them to take a day or two, pray about it, and trust that if it was meant to be, God would make it clear.
Then the husband softly asked, “Can I tell you our story?”
And he began to weep.
His precious wife sat quietly beside him, tears rolling down her face too. Through tears, he shared that their daughter Claire, in her mid-20s, had been killed by a drunk driver the year before.
Since losing her, they said life had felt empty. No joy. No peace. Just surviving one day at a time.
They shared that they hoped finding a little place away from home might help them breathe again… help them find moments of peace and healing in this new reality of life without their daughter.
I cried with them. What else could I do? I simply told them I was so sorry and that I would pray God would bring comfort, healing, and moments of joy again.
Then they told me something that stopped me in my tracks.
After leaving the house the first time, they drove around asking God for a sign. As they turned the corner… they saw St. Claire’s.
Their daughter’s name was Claire.
Wow. ❤️
That was the moment they knew.
Today, they are settled into their beautiful Bay St. Louis home, creating new memories together. I stopped by this morning with a special gift, a custom painting of their home with Claire watching over them.
There were lots of tears again today… theirs and mine.
But this time, there was also peace. Hope. Smiles. Healing.
Happy and Karl — thank you for trusting me with your story and allowing me to walk a small part of this journey with you both. You are deeply loved, and I know Claire’s light shines through everything you do.
They have created a beautiful foundation in Claire’s honor called
[Claire’s Promise](https://www.clairespromise.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com)
Please take a moment to check it out and support their mission. ❤️
