May-June2020 Issue

loan originator in 1996. She has worked exclusively in the field of reverse mortgages for the last 12 years. “Sue knew the local scene and people,” Priscilla says. “She was a really great coach all the way through the process. Being certified gave us a great feeling of confidence on a personal level. Without her, I don’t know what we would have done.” There were some unusual procedural steps along the way, and Sue stood by the family the entire way. First, Pricilla’s sister lived in a house on the same piece of prop- erty, so that had to be legally separated from the parents’ property. Second, since Gwendolyn’s illness didn’t permit her to attend or comprehend the required counseling session, it was necessary to have her condition certified. Priscilla accompanied her father to counseling. “Sue prepared us so well that the counselor said, ‘You’re the best-prepared people I’ve ever talked to,’” Priscilla recalls. The reverse mortgage allowed Emmett to secure 24-hour-a-day care at home for Gwendolyn. “It was a tremendous relief for all of us. And through it all, Sue continued to give us personal attention. Anything I needed, I could call Sue,” Priscilla remarks. In summing up the entire reverse mortgage experience, Priscilla says, “We had absolutely no problems at all.” The reverse mortgage proceeds also helped out with unforeseen situations. “In 2016, a storm left an inch of water in the house, even though it was above the thousand-year flood line,” Priscilla explains. They had flood insurance, but funds from the reverse mortgage helped with the renovation and replacing some of the damaged items. Gwendolyn passed away, and Emmett, by this time seeing his own mobility decline, decided it was time to leave the home and move into assisted living in New Orleans. The family sold the house, which paid off the reverse mortgage. Priscilla says her dad, at 93, is now “wheelchair bound, but still sharp as a tack.” The reverse mortgage Emmet’s children researched and recommended allowed him and Gwendolyn to continue living in their home, with the security and peace of mind of knowing she was receiving excellent care. And Sue Milligan’s dedication is something Priscilla says she will never forget. Borrower Chronicles continued from page 33 34 REVERSE MORTGAGE / MAY-JUNE 2020