Jeff Todd: Friend

I was pregnant with my daughter Ava when my husband and I attended a holiday party as new members of the Mt. Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce.  We didn't know anyone at the party but we were starting a business and knew it would be important to meet the other business leaders in our community.  

We were greeted by a vibrant and happy man that seemed eager to meet us and he introduced himself as Jeff Todd, of Todd Family Restaurants and gave me his card.  

He then gave me about seven more of them as he saw my belly and said, "Make sure you use these" and I turned them over and noticed that they had a free sandwich coupon on the back.  I laughed and he said, "Let's be friends."  

I knew from that moment that he was special and I could feel that he would be very important in my life. Jeff Todd was larger than life at times and always very popular. He did so much in the community and many people know of his efforts in that capacity.  

However, Jeff was more than that.  He was a friend and all the love that he gave his community, he gave to his friends and family tenfold.  I was the recipient of that love and friendship in my life and he changed and blessed my life for the better.

He probably kept my business alive for the first three months after we opened and I am not sure who he bought all those cupcakes for, but I knew that he was out there spreading the word. He was affectionately called the Cupcake of the Chamber because he was always being a champion for us and everyone knew that if they had lunch with Jeff Todd, there would surely be cupcakes there as well.  

He spoke at my grand opening and helped make the night a huge success.  He used to see us working late at night and would knock on the door to check on us and sit and talk to us for a while.  I treasured these moments and looked forward to seeing him.  

Many times, he would quietly look around and see what needed to be done and I remember him mopping my floors, washing my dishes and helping with the trash.  We didn't need to ask him, he saw what needed doing and did it.  

I remember a cold day during the blizzard of 2010 when I drove to my store to make sure our roof hadn't caved in and as I drove through the back parking lot, I saw a man in a heavy coat shoveling out my back door - you guessed it, it was my friend Jeff.  

He had also shoveled out the two parking spaces in front of my store and deiced the sidewalk and door at the front of the store.  He didn't know I was coming that day - he didn't expect me to catch him in his good deed - he saw it needed to be done and he did it.  When I thanked him from the bottom of my heart he said, "It's because I love you." 

My mother always taught me that love is an action, not a feeling.  I can tell you all day long that I love you but if I do nothing to show you, it means nothing.  Jeff was the epitome of this. He did countless things for me and he always responded with the simple expression that he did it because he loved me. I knew that but it didn't stop him from doing more.  

His wife Becky was the same way, when I would thank her for all that her family had done for me and mine, she would always answer that they did it because they loved us. Becky selflessly shared her amazing husband with all of us.  She knew that he loved to serve others and she knew it was what made him happy.   

When I got overwhelmed at work or felt down, I skipped across the street to see my friend. I often wondered if his staff grew tired of seeing me. We would sit and talk about all kinds of things. He always gave helpful insight and always made me feel special and like I was important.  

I never felt insecure around him, he never made me feel stupid when I asked him a question that might seem obvious to someone else. He protected me like a big brother would and I always felt safe when I was around him. My day was brighter when he came into my store, or stopped by to check on us at home.  I will miss his smile, his hugs and our long talks.

A month ago I was in a car accident. I was very scared. I had never been in one before I knew my car was totaled and it was very bad timing. I called my husband to come and then I texted Jeff. He immediately texted back and asked where I was. I told him and five minutes later he was there. I was so happy to see him and immediately knew it was all going to be OK when he gave me a hug and asked if I was hurt.  

He stayed until they towed my car away and I was safely in the car with my husband and asked me if I needed anything.  He brought peace and calm to a situation that was chaotic to me.  

These examples of true friendship are but a drop in the bucket in my experience with Jeff Todd. I could write a book on the countless things he did for me and for my family. I don't know how I will live my day to day without him. I don't know how I will cope with the inability to run to him when I am in need of his friendship and understanding.

I do know that he would want me to learn from his life and do all I could do to carry on his legacy to e the kind of friend to others that he was to me.  To lose my life in selfless service and charitable love, to be the great person he told everyone that he felt I was.