That One Time, My Husband Saved Me From A Riot... #HHGhero #MaytagSalutes

I've Partnered with hhgregg and Maytag Brand to start a conversation about the Everyday Hero in my life. All opinions are my own. 

When I was recently asked who my everyday hero was, I was torn between my bestie, a cop, and my husband, my night in shining armor, and the very best father I know.

My best friend puts her life on the line every day, then goes home to her two wild boys, who she insists will kill her well before her job does!

But, in the end, my husband is my ultimate everyday hero.

From the very first day we met, he has been my Knight in Shining Armor...

Did I ever tell you about the time he saved me from riots in Austria the night we met?

Seriously. He did!

It was the 2008 Euro Soccer championship, and two rival teams were set to play that night. Things got a little heated, and the next thing I know, riot sirens are going off, smoke bombs were flying, and there I was, in the middle of it. Being that I was traveling alone, I retreated to my hotel.

I planned to spend the last two days of my trip hiding in my hotel, when I met FTD. Long story short, we fell in love right there in the hotel, and thanks to him, I was able to take on the streets of Austria during an INSANE World Soccer Championship, without a care in the world.  (To read the long story, click here)

This photo was taken the night we met by a street vendor. I was so smitten! 
Another really long story short, after two years of bouncing between countries, FTD and I moved to the States to get married and start a family.

I will always be so grateful that he left his family to live on the other side of the world so I could be close to mine. Against the odds, temporary green card in hand, FTD found the perfect job working with children with 'learning differences' to help sustain us. He was eventually hired on full-time and now, he basically runs the school!

The only thing FTD loves more than helping people is working with children.

FTD encourages me every day to continue to follow my dream to be a writer. Even when we have a tough couple of months financially, and JUST making ends meet, rather than tell me to go get a "real job", he asks how we can make it work. FTD is my biggest supporter.

Above all, FTD is my everyday hero because he is the very best father I know.

I know I give the man all kinds of crap on this blog, and our social media, but it's all in great fun. Some of you may even remember a few of our back and forth "discussions" in the comments section of our heated blog posts; you know the ones where he and Ollie have been up to no good, yet he insists it was a great 'learning lesson' for our son...



There are no two ways about it, the man is absolute, positively AMAZING!

No matter how tired FTD is when he gets home from work, he takes Ollie for a ride around the block on his bike. Every Saturday, FTD lets me sleep in while he and Ollie go off to garage sales or shopping for "man things." Once a week, Ollie and FTD cook dinner, and even clean up. Every night, FTD gives Ollie a bath, then read two books to him.

When Ollie falls or fails, he goes to FTD for comfort as much as me.

Not that I need it to hear it to know, but even our friends, neighbors and the ladies at Ollie's Child's Day Out program, tell me how lucky I am that FTD is such an awesome father.

But the truth is, I'm not lucky.

I'm blessed. 

I'm so blessed to have a wonderful husband, that gives his time all day to help special needs children, then comes home to give us, his family, what's left of him, before passing out to rinse and repeat.

FTD is a true everyday hero to me, our son, and an entire school of staff and students (They have told me this repeatedly!).

OH! And did I mention that when it snows, he shovels our elderly neighbors' driveways?

In case you can't tell, it's rare to catch him at home without his 'mini me' in tow...
SO BLESSED!!!

If you're wondering what all this everyday hero talk is about, I have some exciting news for you!

Maytag Brand and hhgregg, have partnered to honor everyday heroes all month long with a daily giveaway that will blow your mind!!



Maytag Salutes Sweepstakes Lowdown:
From 5/1 through 5/31, hhgregg and Maytag brand are giving away $45,000 in Maytag brand appliances. (HOLY CRAP!)
Every day, one randomly selected winner will receive one of the following Maytag brand prizes:
  • 4.3 Cu. Ft. Bravos® HE Top-Load Washer and 7 Cu. Ft. Bravos® Dryer
  • 36” 25 Cu. Ft. Stainless Steel Side-by-Side Refrigerator
  • 30” Stainless Steel Smoothtop Electric or Gas Range
  • 24” Stainless Steel Dishwasher
    (HOLY CRAP!)
So how do you win?  

Enter up to four times a day through the following methods:
  • Visit the hhgregg website to fill out a daily entry form
  • Visit the hhgregg Maytag Salutes Facebook Page to fill out a daily entry form
  • Share the hhgregg YouTube video, featuring an AMAZING kitchen Makeover for a very special military mom, on either twitter or Instagram using the hashtags #MaytagSalutes and #sweeps to earn one entry per day into BOTH the daily prize sweepstakes and the Grand Prize!

    GRAND PRIZES

Shameless plug: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Enter FIRST” in the sweepstakes entry form, to help me win a special blogger gift for having the most entries by readers.
AND THAT'S NOT ALL...
Nominate a Hero
From 5/1 to 5/18, you can nominate your personal hero on Twitter or Instagram with a photo of your hero using #HHGhero and #entry. From there, a representative will reach out to direct you to provide more information about your hero through an entry form.

Then, vote for their favorite hero until 5/22, here. The top seven heroes will receive a Maytag brand appliance of their choice and a $100 hhgregg gift card. The heroes will be highlighted during the final week of the campaign.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Who's your everyday hero?




April is an award-winning writer and blogger. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more on April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com