NFM Salute Archives

LINTHICUM, MD, December 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Major Jessica Astorga, USAF, Retired, as the NFM Salute for December 2020.

From a young age, Astorga knew she wanted to become a nurse and serve in the Air Force. After graduating from the University of Auburn with a nursing degree, the Alabama native was commissioned as an Officer in 2000.

She was deployed to Iraq in 2007, and later to Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. In both deployments, she worked as a critical care nurse in combat theater hospitals, where she worked long hours tending to the injured. However, not all the wounded she cared for were her comrades. Sometimes they were local civilians or even prisoners of war. Astorga recalls, “I had a lot of moral battles and ethical battles while I was there and deployed in those areas. [They’re] human beings as well and when I became a nurse in the military, we take care of all casualties, no matter if it’s our soldiers or the enemy.” If being a nurse in a combat zone wasn’t challenging enough, Astorga also had to navigate a still very male-dominated profession. She said, “I felt like I had to continuously prove myself to my peers, my male counterparts, [and] my male superiors.”

When she returned from her second deployment, Astorga had trouble finding her place within society, and it took a toll on her mentally. Her struggle with depression led her to an early medical retirement in 2013. Following her military career, Astorga worked as a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) at two private hospitals in Dayton, OH. The emotional pain she endured was still difficult to bear, and she sought support from various Veteran-oriented programs. One day, she came across Women Veterans Network, or WoVeN. WoVeN is a nationwide community of female Veterans whose mission is to provide support and sisterhood to its members. The ideals of WoVeN resonated with Astorga so much that she decided to become a Peer Leader and started a chapter in the Dayton area. Volunteering with WoVeN gave Astorga a new purpose in life: to let women Veterans know they matter and have not been forgotten.

While deployed, Astorga would often watch Peyton Manning’s football games in the breakroom during her downtime. Watching her favorite player gave her a sense of comfort and home during her overseas assignments. On November 8^th, Astorga was surprised with a video call from Peyton Manning, who thanked her for her service and her work with WoVeN as a part of the NFL’s “Salute to Service”. She has also been featured in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ national campaign, I Am Not Invisible, which recognizes female Veterans for their contributions.

Astorga still resides in Dayton, OH. She enjoys spending time with her family and connecting with her WoVeN sisters. Along with lifting others up, Astorga is taking more time to care for herself. “I had been taking care of so many people in my life–patients, family–that I decided I [want to] take care of myself right now,” she says. “That’s where I am; working on a lot of things for [my] mental and physical health, as the years of being in a stressful work environment and all of that I’ve done have, of course, affected me physically.” Astorga is currently training to become a Veteran’s yoga instructor so she can help fellow Veterans with physicality through meditation and mindfulness.

NFM Salute is an initiative in which one military member or Veteran is chosen each month to be honored as the “Salute of the Month.” Salutes are chosen from nominations on the NFM Salute website, www.nfmsalute.com. The “Salute of the Month” will be featured on the website with a biography and information about his or her service, and NFM Lending will donate to a military or Veteran non-profit in the Salute’s name.

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to Veterans Yoga Project on behalf of Astorga. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 41 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, BluPrint Home Loans, and Freedmont Mortgage Group. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram.

LINTHICUM, MD, November 2, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Corporal Jamie Willis, USA, Retired, as the NFM Salute for November 2020.

Jamie Willis joined the U.S. Army in 1989 as a Cavalry Scout. During his military career, Willis was a member of 4^th Squadron, 7^th Cavalry in Korea, and 2^nd Squadron, 2^nd Cavalry Regiment. In 1991, he served in Saudi Arabia with A Troop in the 1st Squadron, 7^th Cavalry Regiment as part of Operation Desert Shield, and later in Operation Desert Storm. Willis remembers, “It was a rough time, not really knowing when we first deployed how long we would be there [or] what the situation would actually be like. After seeing what happened on the news before we deployed–the threat of chemical warfare–and just freshly being in the Army, it was a real terrifying time.” During this tour, Willis was severely injured in an accident with a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. His back sustained the most damage, and Willis was told he may never walk again. Miraculously, he began to take his first steps a few weeks after. The pain from the injury, however, did eventually force him into an early medical retirement in 1998.

Due to his specialized role in the military and his limited physical range, it was difficult to reintegrate into civilian life. During the first several years, Willis took jobs that were less physically demanding, including: gas station clerk, school bus driver, mechanic, and a garbage man. In 2006, he reentered the military world and worked on the MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle project. He started MRAP University as an instructor in Texas, and later traveled the U.S. and overseas training service members until 2014.

Eventually, the mental and physical injuries Willis received during combat caught up to him, manifesting themselves in an extremely painful way. Willis suffered with chronic back pain from his accident and was considered 100% disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The combination of being unable to work and PTSD left Willis often contemplating suicide. His life completely changed when he decided to find an alternative to the unstable, “ugly” metal canes issued by the VA. After researching a better, more attractive cane, Willis reached out to Free Canes for Veterans, a volunteer project based in Florida. When he was told the waitlist to receive a hand-carved cane was full, he was contacted by the head of the organization, Oscar Morris, who taught Willis how to make his own.

Willis soon made his very first cane, but he did not want to stop with himself. The experience of handcrafting a mobility tool made him realize other Veterans deserved to have a cane that gave them a sense of dignity. With his newfound sense of purpose, Willis started his own branch, Canes for Veterans Central Texas, in 2016. Since then, Willis and his team of volunteers have made over 400 canes distributed to Veterans and civilians in the U.S. and around the world. The canes are made from scraps of wood, either donated or found by Willis. In January, news of his cane-making went nationwide as he had asked for local Christmas trees to be donated to him instead of discarded. Before he knew it, Willis had thousands of trees donated from across the country.

Willis says the symbolism of using Christmas trees to make canes was told to him by Morris. He explained, “The Christmas tree and the Veteran are very similar. If you think about the Christmas tree and the service member, they’re treated the same. They’re taken when they’re young, they’re decorated up, they’re used, and at the end of the season, they’re both thrown away. I’m taking that Christmas tree and I’m stripping it back down and starting over. Then I turn it into a cane. It’s solid again–it’s strong–and I give it to the Veteran as a symbol; to show them you’re still solid, you’re still strong, you’re still worth something. When you explain that to them, they stand a little taller. They puff their chest out a little bit and it just makes them feel good about themselves.”

Willis resides in Copperas Cove, TX, where he is keeping himself busy with the organization. He hopes to make and give away 1,000 canes in 2020.

NFM Lending is proud to donate $5,000 to Canes for Veterans Central Texas on behalf of Willis. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 41 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, BluPrint Home Loans, and Freedmont Mortgage Group. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram.

LINTHICUM, MD, October 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Captain Johnnie Ashe, USMC, Retired Captain, as the NFM Salute for October 2020.

Johnnie Ashe was born in 1948 and raised in Richmond, Virginia along with his older brother, Arthur. Like many younger siblings, Ashe admired his brother, who showed an early giftedness for academics and tennis. At a young age, Ashe knew Arthur was destined to change the world for the better. Though both brothers were involved with tennis, Arthur decided to pursue it seriously. Succeeding in tennis would be his ticket out of racially segregated Richmond and give him a platform to speak out against injustice.

By 1965, the nation was restless with racial strife and polarization over the Vietnam Conflict. Wanting to prove his own worth, Ashe enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17 and was soon sent to Vietnam. He served with the 1st Service Regiment and the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force.

In 1967, Ashe was nearing the end of his tour, but was concerned about his brother’s safety. Arthur was also serving in the military as an Army lieutenant performing data processing at West Point. Arthur had 15 months left in his contract, but now that Johnnie was back, it became more likely Arthur could get sent to Vietnam. Ashe had heard of the so-called Sullivan Rule. While unofficial, the military discouraged brothers from serving in major conflicts at the same time. So, in 1968 during the height of the Vietnam Conflict, Johnnie requested to take another tour of duty and only told his father the real reason for his reenlistment – to avoid his brother having to go to Vietnam.

Arthur Ashe went on to become the first African American man to win at the US Open in 1968, the Australian Open in 1970, and Wimbledon in 1975. Johnnie recalled, “He called me at the barracks. What he said to me was…in a sense provocative for him, but it also told me that he had realized his responsibility. He said, ‘I’m a champion now. When I speak, people will listen.’” Arthur left not only a legacy in the tennis world but also made a global impact with his civil rights and AIDS awareness activism. Of his brother, Ashe said, “There had to be someone who could show the rest of the world that we as a people are capable of doing things other than just entertaining and playing sports, because in those days that was the big thing that most people felt that we were good for.”

Ashe made a career of the Marines, serving for 20 years and retiring as a Captain. Ashe looks back on his time with the military with gratitude, saying, “I got to meet some fantastic individuals. I was able to rise in the ranks pretty easily. I was exposed to people from all over the world, different thoughts. The time that I spent in Okinawa and in the Philippines was definitely rewarding.” He now resides in Port St Lucie, Florida with his family.

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to One Love Lenny Simpson Tennis and Education Fund on behalf of Ashe. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

LINTHICUM, MD, September 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor retired Navy SEAL, Ray “Cash” Care, as the NFM Salute for September 2020.

Care is no stranger to adversity; it is a force that has shaped him his entire life. When Care was just eleven years old, his father was murdered. As a teenager, Care struggled with substance abuse, anger, and emotional pain. “I did a self-reflection drill at 19 and realized I was turning into the man that was murdered… Right then and there [was] one of the first of what I call ‘gut checks’ in my life. Those pinnacle moments where I said now is the time to change me. And that’s what I did.” His life changed forever when he joined the Navy in 1992 and learned about Navy SEALs. Looking for a challenge, Care became determined to become one.

Care achieved his goal of becoming a SEAL in 1995. Out of the 138 people in his class, only 16 completed the training. Care recalls the hardest moment of BUD training being the 50-meter breath hold. “I can’t lie. I was scared. I was watching people pass out, black out. My turn to go, I went, I failed the first time. They get you out of the water and they literally let you just go do it again…Sometimes you have to step up or step off. [It] was one of those gut checks. And here I am, obviously you know the result. Once you accomplish something like that in your life, the mindset that you have is ‘I can do anything’. That was one of the pinnacle moments in my life when I said, ‘Nothing can stop me.’”

From there, his military career took him on multiple tours of duty and overseas missions as a member of SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two (SDV-2). He survived a mortar attack during one mission in Iraq, which he describes as being “one of the most traumatic/inspirational” days of his life. The SEALs gave Care an unbreakable community and emboldened him to fight through fear and pain. After 12 years of serving in the Navy, Care left the SEALs in 2004 to work on assignment for the CIA, which he did for 14 years.

Care has not slowed down since re-entering civilian life. He founded CONQUER, a leadership and team-building training program. Using the skills and techniques he learned in the military, Care helps people improve their physical fitness and mental endurance. Other programs he is involved in include LTD Project, which gives businesses the tools to work more efficiently, and The Project, a 75-hour bootcamp intensive. He also cohosts a podcast called The Overcome and Conquer Show, where he interviews inspiring individuals who have overcome challenges in their lives. Care lives in Virginia Beach, VA with his wife Tricia and their daughter Nyla. Their son, Michael, is following his father’s military tradition and currently serves in the U.S. Air Force.

According to Care, being a SEAL is all about attitude, and believes anyone can harness that same mentality to improve their lives. “Family, fitness, finance and faith; my four F-bombs to success. I put family at the top and I put faith at the bottom. Faith is the foundation of everything. Faith is not religion. You wanna be successful, it starts with you. Believe in yourself. Get up every morning like you won the lottery and attack life,” says Care.

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of Care. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

LINTHICUM, MD, August 3, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Colonel Kevin Sellers, USAF, Retired, as the NFM Salute for August 2020.

COL Sellers served in the Air Force from 1995 to 2020. His distinguished military career began after he graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. The early years of his profession had him stationed at Elgin and Tinker Air Force Base, where he made lifelong connections with his fellow Airmen. He was stationed to Karshi-Khanabad Air Force Base in Uzbekistan in 2003 to assist with Operation ENDURING FREEDOM as an Executive Officer.

From 2011 to 2012, COL Sellers acted as DCMA-Iraq Deputy Group Commander and assisted with the peaceful transition of power to Iraqi locals. He played an integral role in safely withdrawing troops and contractors from Iraq during Operation NEW DAWN. He achieved the rank of Colonel in 2016.

His most recent position was Chief, C-5M Super Galaxy Division, Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate, at Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins Air Force Base, GA. In this role, COL Sellers provided integrated logistical support for the 52 C-5M aircraft and oversaw 220 personnel. As the manager of the Division’s $3.1B annual budget, he helped formulate strategies for the modernization and modification of the C-5 aircraft.

Ever since he was at the Air Force Academy, COL Sellers sought to challenge himself. His professional achievements have shown he stayed true to his personal goal, and it also extended into the classroom. Even with a full-time career in the military, COL Sellers continued to advance his education and earned his MBA in 2000 and Juris Doctor in 2005 from Oklahoma City University.

COL Sellers retired from the Air Force in May 2020 after 25 years of service. As someone who has committed himself to the military, COL Sellers has advice for anyone interested in pursuing the same career.

“I would tell them to enjoy their service and continue to seek opportunities,” he says. “There are so many opportunities for personal and professional improvement. There are opportunities to do great in your career field, and then at certain points in your career, to branch out and do different things. So it’s important to really understand the mechanics of those opportunities and the processes for taking advantage of all that the military has to offer.”

During his career, COL Sellers has been awarded 10 awards and distinctions, including the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Iraq Campaign Medal with service star, and the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal.

COL Sellers resides in Grapevine, TX with his wife, Angela. He is the proud father of Tyler, Brookelyn, Kylee, and Adilyn, and grandfather of Lilith. Tyler is following in his father’s military footsteps by serving as an Army Staff Sergeant, currently on his second deployment. Now that he is retired, COL Sellers looks forward to reconnecting with friends and family and getting to enjoy “lake life”.

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of COL Sellers. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

LINTHICUM, MD, July 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Tyler Stallings as the NFM Salute for July 2020.

When he was just four years old, Tyler’s mother, Andrea Blackstone, began teaching him about Veterans. Tyler came to understand that military service members were true American heroes. While watching videos on YouTube, they came upon one focused on homeless Veterans. Tyler was upset to see these heroes living on the streets. He knew he wanted to do something. Together with his mother, Tyler contacted Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who provided him with a $100 kid’s grant through Start a Snowball. Tyler and his mom also started a GoFundMe on Facebook. Tyler decided to use the funds once a year on Veteran’s Day to create care packages with hygiene products and clothes to give to homeless Veterans. It quickly became clear that once a year was not going to be enough.

The Maryland Center for Veteran Education and Training (MCVET) was more than happy to have Tyler work with them as their designated “superhero”. In this role, Tyler brings “hero bags” full of basic supplies for homeless Veterans.

Stallings explained the types of items he puts in his hero bags. “Gift cards, sanitizer, socks, clothes, anything that they need. We start off with giving them supplies, and then we give them resources. MCVET and the VA gives us things to carry around and when we see a Veteran on the street, we’ll give him or her some cards. I got to say a lot of times they open the bag up as soon as we leave, as soon as we get in the car. You can tell they need it a lot.”

With five years of giving back under his belt, Tyler has raised over $70,000 for homeless Veterans. He believes every donation makes a big impact.

“One of my mottos is ‘A dollar makes an item’ because we do some of the shopping at the dollar tree. So just one dollar can help to get a veteran a stick of deodorant or a box of cereal,” said Stallings who encourages others to get involved also. “You don’t need a big pile of money or you don’t have to be rich or have a fortune. Don’t give up ever. If you want to succeed you have to keep on going.”

NFM Lending donated $2,500 to Kid Time Enterprises on behalf of Tyler, which was immediately used to purchase much needed supplies for homeless Veterans. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

LINTHICUM, MD, June 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Staff Sergeant Jeremy Katzenberger as the NFM Salute for June 2020.

Katzenberger enlisted in the U.S. Army in October 2004. He completed training at Fort Benning, GA as an infantryman, and later was assigned to their Ranger Assessment and Selection Program. Upon graduation of the program, Katzenberger was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. He served as a rifleman, automatic rifleman, team leader and Ranger squad leader. He was deployed eight times in support of the War on Terror; four times to Iraq and four to Afghanistan. On June 14, 2011, Katzenberger was conducting combat operations with his unit in Sharana, Paktika Province, Afghanistan, when he was attacked and killed by enemy forces. He was 26 years old.

Katzenberger’s awards and decorations include: Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, the Ranger Tab, Expert Infantryman Badge, Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, Air Medal, Army Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal with one loop, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two Campaign Stars, Iraq Campaign Medal with three Campaign Stars, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral 2.

Katzenberger met his wife, Colleen, during sophomore year of high school while lifeguarding in their hometown of Weatherby Lake, MO. Their son, Everett, was only four months old when Katzenberger was deployed for the final time.

Discussing why Katzenberger chose to join the Army, Colleen explained, “We actually didn’t start dating until our first year of college. Jeremy decided after that [year] the school route wasn’t for him yet. So, he made the very selfless decision to enlist in the military with a Ranger contract. We stayed together in that. I often like to talk about how I got to watch this 16-year-old boy that life-guarded become this amazing warrior and selfless man that served our country.”

She also touched on the impact of becoming a Gold Star wife and how life has been for her now nine-year-old son.

“I always tell people that I think grief is big and it’s powerful and you don’t ever get rid of it. Watching and raising a son by myself that always so desperately wants to know who his dad was, it means a lot to have people like [NFM] that are always willing to tell my story and Jeremy’s story and honor that, because it means a lot to that nine-year-old boy who looks just like his dad. He’s doing really well. I think there is a certain amount of beauty in watching a young child really grasp the idea that his dad died fighting for our country and I can’t help but think Jeremy is really, really proud of Everett.”

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to The Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of Katzenberger and his family. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

LINTHICUM, MD, May 29, 2020 — NFM TV announced today that a video program it produced entitled “NFM Salute: Sgt. Eric Houck” has been named Best in Non-Broadcast in the 41st Annual Telly Awards.

The Telly Awards is the premier award honoring video and television across all screens. Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council—an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multiscreen industry.

“When I started NFM TV a few years ago, winning awards wasn’t my goal,” said NFM TV Creator and Host, Greg Sher. “I wanted to tell great stories, not only about things happening in the mortgage industry, but across the country. It was an honor to tell the story of Eric Houck’s sacrifice, along with that of his family. We continue to create great content and share important stories that we’re proud of, so I feel like this is just the beginning.”

Sabrina Dridje, Managing Director of the Telly Awards said, “Our theme for this season, Telly Award Winners Tell Great Stories is a true reflection of the diversity of stories the community is skillfully able to tell. Now, more than ever, we need to celebrate them and those that bring global stories to our attention. This award is a tribute to the talent and vision of these creators.”

NFM TV consists of Creator/Host Greg Sher, Executive Producer Gene DiPaula, Producer/Editor Nayoung Kim, and Marketing/PR Coordinator Kelsey Trumbull.

About NFM TV

NFM TV is a subsidiary of NFM Lending, an award-winning, multi-state residential mortgage lender currently licensed in 41 states. The mission of NFM TV is to provide “mortgage industry-related news and content that hits home” with insight and analysis through the use of audio and video production. NFM TV interviews some of the top thought leaders in home lending, including top branch managers, loan originators, real estate agents, and others in the mortgage industry examining the latest trends and giving helpful tips. NFM Lending was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, BluPrint Home Loans, and Freedmont Mortgage Group. For more information about NFM TV, visit nfmtv.com and like our Facebook page.

LINTHICUM, MD, May 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor Aviation Metalsmith, 2nd Class “Grandpa” Bill Kelly as the NFM Salute for May 2020.

Kelly was born in 1925 in Aurora, Illinois during the Great Depression. As one of seven children, he said growing up he never realized they were poor. His family had a large garden and he recalls fond memories of rabbit hunting and fishing in the Fox River with his father. Toward the end of the Depression, Kelly vowed to serve his country after the horrific events of Pearl Harbor. At 17 years old and a senior in high school, his father encouraged him to graduate before enlisting. Keeping his word, he graduated before joining the Navy in July 1943.

Kelly was assigned to the 53rd Naval Construction Battalion attached to the Third Marine Division. He was deployed to several places, including: New Caledonia, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Guam. His battalion took care of wounded, unloaded ships, removed unexploded ammunition and created roads for transportation so troops could get to the frontlines.

After his service, Kelly attended Oregon State and Linn Benton Community College, where he earned an associate’s degree in Fire Science. He then joined the Corvallis Volunteer Fire Department and was later hired by the local Fire Department, where he worked his way up to Captain of Suppression and Fire Prevention. He later became the Assistant Chief Fire Marshall at the Oak Lodge Fire District, where he eventually retired.

Now at 95 years old, Kelly has overcome yet another incredible challenge. On March 17, he tested positive for the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19. Living with his family, including two young great grandchildren, Kelly had to remain quarantined to his room for two weeks. His granddaughter, Rose Etherington, was able to care for him. “There were a couple of days where he looked extremely ashen and I could tell he was slipping. He didn’t want to eat, so we had to really stay on top of him to eat and drink. I think he pulled through because he has a strong mind. He knew it wasn’t time. He wanted to be with the kids more.”

“This too will pass, and maybe we’ll be better off. Do what you’re supposed to do. Just be a good, solid American. There’s a saying that I remember a friend used to say all the time: Fighters never quit, and quitters never fight. Just carry on.”

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to The Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of Kelly and his family. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

About NFM Lending

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 41 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, Bluprint Home Loans, and Freedmont Mortgage Group. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram.

LINTHICUM, MD, April 1, 2020— NFM Lending is pleased to honor (Ret.) Major Jeremy Haynes as the NFM Salute for April 2020.

Haynes, a native of Albany, Georgia, vowed to serve his country after watching the horrific events of September 11^th, 2001 in his high school JROTC classroom. In 2004, he earned a scholarship to Georgia Military College and was later commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He deployed to Afghanistan, having to leave his then-pregnant wife, Chelsea, and their two children.

During a mission in Kabul on August 5^th, 2014, Haynes was shot four times by an Afghan Military Soldier. At the time, Haynes was serving as aide to Maj. Gen. Harold Greene, who did not survive the attack. Haynes was evacuated to Germany, then Walter Reed Military Medical Center, where he woke up to his wife beside him.

One of the shots was to his back, injuring his spine. He suffered a severed vena cava and 80% of the nerves to his lower extremities, leaving both of his legs paralyzed. Needing multiple surgeries, Haynes faced an excruciating and long recovery. At one point, he wrote, “I WILL WALK AGAIN” on a piece of paper and stared at it every day. After months of physical therapy and with Chelsea encouraging and inspiring him, he finally stood and took his first steps in November 2014. Now, Haynes can stand and walk for short periods of time with the help of adaptive equipment.

Discussing how he kept pushing himself and continues to do so every day, Haynes said:

“I tell myself, “Hey, you have to live on for [Col. Greene], you have to live on for those who can’t be here today, who wish they were. Those who died in a foreign land. They died serving a great country. They need to be honored, and me having pity parties or saying what I can’t do anymore, I told myself, “Jeremy, throw all that in the trash.” Those guys died so you could be here, living and having the freedoms we often take for granted. God has granted you an opportunity to walk on this earth again.”

During his extensive military career, Haynes has been honored with a multitude of awards, including: the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Freedom Campaign Medal, Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, Air Assault Badge, Parachute Rigger Badge, German Jump Wings, and the Norwegian 30K Road Mark Badge.

Haynes was a recent recipient of a specially adapted smart home, courtesy of the R.I.S.E. program of the Gary Sinise Foundation. This home will allow Jeremy to live more independently and improve his quality of life.

“The one thing that stood out for me is those few inches in a door,” said Haynes. “For the average person it may mean little, but to me, having those few inches allows me the ability to navigate my wheelchair into my kids’ rooms; to be able to pray with them, kiss them goodnight, read them a bedtime story, and tuck them in. That itself, in my opinion, is the greatest feature of this home.”

NFM Lending is proud to donate $2,500 to The Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of Haynes and his family. NFM looks forward to the opportunity to continue to honor military and Veterans through the NFM Salute initiative.

NFM Lending is a mortgage lending company currently licensed in 41 states in the U.S. The company was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1998. NFM Lending and its family of companies includes Main Street Home Loans, Bluprint Home Loans, and Freedmont Mortgage Group. They attribute their success in the mortgage industry to their steadfast commitment to customers and the community. NFM Lending has firmly planted itself in the home loan marketplace as “America’s Common Sense Residential Mortgage Lender.™” For more information about NFM Lending, visit www.nfmlending.com, like our Facebook page, or follow us on Instagram.

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All FHA Case Transfer Requests must be sent in writing via email to: FHAINFO@nfmlending.com. The request must include the FHA Case number, the new lender’s Origination ID or Sponsor ID, the full subject property address, and a letter signed and dated by the borrower expressing desire for the transfer.
Request for payoff should be submitted to the current servicer of the loan:
If your loan is being serviced by the NFM Lake Zurich Servicing Center, please call 1-866-352-6802 to request a payoff. You can also request a payoff via the online borrower portal, if you are a registered user on the portal.
If your loan is being serviced by the NFM Lending Linthicum Maryland Office, you may submit the request to Servicing@nfmlending.com or call 1-866-765-1827.
Property Location
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