'You can't put a price on sentiment': Brandon handyman praised online for selfless work
A handyman in Brandon, Man., is being praised online for his big heart and selfless work.
“I’ve always been a maintenance man,” said Randy Phillips. “I love to fix things and tinker, ever since I was young.”
Phillips offers his minor computer repair services to those in the community that need it, and only charges by donation.
“During the pandemic, it really hit some people,” Phillips said. "And now with the price of gas and the economy the way it is, I just thought, you know, it’s hard for some people to make ends meet.”
Phillips was inspired to start paying it forward after seeing people promoting similar acts of goodwill online.
"There was a lady in Kamloops during the pandemic, during that big toilet paper fiasco where people were hoarding toilet paper and other products, and a lot of seniors couldn’t get out to get their shopping done,” he said. “This girl says, ‘I’m going to go out and do your shopping for you and deliver it for you for free.’ She was even paying for some of the products.”
Phillips was able to help Kimberly Poole, a woman who needed access to the computer of her aunt who had passed away. Poole said she’s been told before that it might not be possible, the data on the computer might be lost, or it would cost several hundred dollars.
“It was the day that my aunt had passed away five years later,” she said. “As I was scrolling through Facebook, I end up seeing a post that mentioned he was working on computers by donation only, and that he could possibly retrieve photos from computer hard drives. When I saw that, I thought it was worth a shot.”
Phillips was not only able to regain access to her computer, but managed to save all of the files stored there as well.
Poole was so appreciative that she wrote a post on the “People of Brandon” Facebook group about her experience and what it meant to her.
“You can’t put a price on sentiment,” she said. “When I was able to go through all of those pictures, it was a relief. I had access to everything that I thought I’d never have access to again.”
The post has since garnered over 450 reacts and comments from friends and other clients of Phillips, praising him for his work and his overall selfless character.
“He doesn’t think that what he’s doing is generous,” said Jen Shymanski, whose partner worked with Phillips previously and they remained friends. “To him, it’s just the magic that is Randy.”
“I was going through some difficult times and was a little low on food. I heard a knock on my door and when I opened it, there was a grocery cart full of food,” said Cheryl Drader, a B.C. resident who was a tenant in a building that Phillips was the handyman of. “I knew it was him because I saw him running away, it was really nice to get that.”
“I’m not a business,” said Phillips. "It’s just something I thought, you know, this is my hobby. If they want to leave a gratuity or whatever, that’s okay. That kudos was enough. When Kimberly posted that, I was very moved.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.
Some millennials say federal budget was 'a letdown' amid cost of living struggles
It’s a picture-perfect scene: Adam and Maria Reynolds are playing with their daughters inside their Port Coquitlam, B.C. home. Watching them together, you might not realize the Reynolds household is stretched to its limit.