I AM TERA BRADFORD-WILSON and this is my TRUTH
To those who know me from back home, you know how near and dear my papa was to me. I was his “Pumpkin” as he would always call me and my girls were like the peanut butter to his jelly. They were literally that in sync. He made sure we were all spoiled with his everlasting love!
As I reflect on my younger years, I can remember my grandmother becoming very ill and passing away while I was 13 years old. My papa didn’t take it too well and he made sure that he kept everything with their house the same as when my grandmother was living. I mean, he literally changed nothing, not even the carpet. Lol He cherished those memories so much
Fast forward years down the line, my grandpa used to visit Texas because that’s where his immediate family was located. However, in some places, he was not welcomed so he would literally just ride by with hopes of being accepted one day. Sadly, my papa started to become very ill. I can remember this horrible cough he developed out of nowhere. I kept telling him to go get it checked out, but when he finally decided to go, it was too late. He was then diagnosed with cancer.
At that point, my mind started racing because I didn’t know what to think. My HEART, MY EVERYTHING was diagnosed with cancer. How could this be?! I remember him calling me and telling me how much he wanted me to come home because things weren’t going right with him and his family. He told me how family members would charge him $40 to take him to his doctor's appointments in his own car. I never understood how a person could take advantage of someone that would literally give you the shirt off their back. My papa had a pure soul! He loved everyone and would do just about anything you asked him to do. One thing he did make me aware of was the snakes, but there were apparently some he had no clue about.
As time went on, my papa’s health consistently declined. I can remember going to his chemo treatments 5 times a week because he wanted me there. I can remember his nurse saying “You’re lucky to have a granddaughter like her”. My papa said “No, I’m not lucky, I’m Blessed” I remember those words like yesterday and they will always stick with me.
Again, my papa's health seemed to get worse as the days went by. I spent days lying in the hospital bed next to him while telling him that everything would be okay. I just knew my papa would pull through. Things then started to take a turn for the worse. He stopped eating, less talking, and started having accidents on himself. Before things took a turn, he was already asking me to take him to get his “will” done but I kept telling him that everything would be okay. It’s safe to say, I was in denial of everything that was taking place right before my eyes.
The Lord was preparing me, but I kept rejecting the signs. All I wanted was my papa to be healed by the blood and keep pushing for me and my girls. My grandfathers last day on earth was very different. He seemed more grouchy and also told me how weak he was. He mentioned signing a “will” again, but I told him no because everything would be alright. His exact words were “I hope so, I’m going to try”.
I laid next to him after chemo and kept telling him, he had to fight. That’s all I wanted was for him to fight, fight for me, fight for my girls because we needed him so much. After some time, I went and got in my bed, a bed that I didn’t sleep in for a while. I can remember the dream I had like yesterday. I dreamt that someone close to me got shot and my papa was watching my girls while I went to check on everything. After that, I woke up to a nightmare that was no longer a dream, but REALITY!
I was told to go check on my papa because the light was on in his room while he was sitting up. I immediately went to check, screamed his name 3 times and he didn’t answer so I called 911. I ran outside until they got there and I knew everyone heard my CRY. When the police arrived, they announced my papa as deceased and my heart detached from my body. How could this be? How am I suppose to move on? How am I suppose to live off memories? What am I going to tell my girls? So many questions raced through my head and I can remember the police asking me if I heard anything in particular before my papas passing.
It was literally God’s covering because I didn’t hear anything. As I stood in disbelief, my childhood friend raced down the street and I told her to call my papa's good friend of many years, Mr. Val Clark. I’ve never seen him cry so hard! He came with no questions asked, hugged me tight, and told me everything would be alright. I want to publicly THANK Mr. Val Clark because he was a TRUE friend to my grandpa.
When it was time to plan arrangements to lay my grandpa to rest, I can remember going into the funeral home distraught but my mother kept me on track and told me that I had to handle my business.
I was told by certain family members that my papa wanted to leave the house to me and my girls so we would have somewhere to stay. These are the same people that looked in my papa's face and promised him that they would have my back only to turn their back on me when my papa passed. That’s why words never meant much to me.
Actions speak volumes!! The same people that knew my grandpa cherished his home and did not want to sell it, SOLD IT! They sold it for 20K. My girls and I were kicked out of my grandpa’s house, the program I made for his funeral was changed to exclude my name, and the family I once thought had my back, turned against me! Why me? This is not what my grandpa wanted, but I could do nothing about it because I ignored all the signs he was giving me to sign the “will”.
After losing my grandpa and losing the home my papa left for me and my kids, I was at my lowest point in life!
Credit score was horrible, my rent was through the roof and I literally held back the pain as much as I could from my girls. They didn’t understand. All they knew was that we had to leave papa's house.
It was so bad that I didn’t even attend the funeral. I gave my papa many flowers while he was here and that meant everything to me. Things were not going as planned but I made IT HAPPEN!!! My grandpa would be so proud of me and my girls.
You know that home we were kicked out of that was sold for 20K? Well, I’m currently exceeding more than 20K or more per month in payroll alone. I now have a 5 bedroom home with enough room for me and my girls. I don’t have to ask anyone for help because I did what I had to do to get myself out of that sinkhole.
Thank GOD for my mom because she paid my rent for my apartment in Texas and she took care of the bills until I was able to get back on my feet. I can never “THANK YOU” enough for carrying my weight. A mother’s love is like no other and that’s why I go so hard for my girls.
I literally eat, sleep and breathe T & T Credit Counseling and Consulting. I started this company to help others.
After taking such a tremendous loss/heartbreak due to the passing of my papa, I knew it was time for a change. I improved my credit score, gained the knowledge and now I’ve helped so many single moms “JUST LIKE ME” accomplish lifetime goals.
To the people who thought their wrongdoings were going to break me, I’m here to tell you, IT MADE ME WHO I AM, TERA BRADFORD-WILSON, the founder and owner of T & T Credit Counseling and Consulting.
Thank you for hearing MY TRUTH.
Sincerely,
Papa’s Pumpkin
Tera Bradford - Wilson is the CEO and Founder of T and T Credit Counseling and Consulting. Together with her awesome team, they have helped over 18,000 families resolve financial issues, increase credit scores, and have helped thousands of people secure their own homes, auto loans, student loan pay-offs, and business fundings. She still lives in Texas, with her now, loving husband and beautiful daughters, and travels back and forth to Louisiana to visit and help her family. She continues to pay it forward until this day by passionately helping people create and live their dream lives through financial literacy and credit education.