I thought the worst had happened, I never expected what came next and the lessons I’d learn.
In 2005, I made Las Vegas my home with my partner, Tom. We had friends that lived in the area and within months of their suggestion, I moved from my home in Illinois. The decades I spent in my childhood home of Missouri and Illinois, raising my family, I worked in finance and sales, but neither of those fields filled me with passion. Right away, we built a life and business together here in Las Vegas, working as a real estate team and loved every second of it. Our network of friends grew as we came to love our new home. Then, one day in November of 2009, the worst thing imaginable happened.
Tom hadn’t been feeling well all day, and so I decided to go home and take him to urgent care. While getting him checked in I stepped outside to call our assistant, and as I looked up, an ambulance pulled up to the facility. They had been called for Tom, and while on his way to the hospital, Tom passed away. He never made it to the hospital. I was devastated and spent the next year grieving and trying to find a new normal. He was a healthy man, always exercising and eating well, that made this all the more shocking.
A little over a year later, my friends convinced me to start dating again. With their encouragement, I signed up for a dating website. It was an all-around bad experience for me, ending with my account getting hacked and shut down. Right before it was shut down though, I met someone.
We went on a couple of dates and I knew we weren’t a good fit, so I stopped seeing him. Three months later, he broke into my home, attacking me with intent to kill. I was rushed to the hospital, but no one thought I would make it through the night, not even the doctor.
Miraculously however, I did, and I continued to surprise those around me.
The next year was a long one of recovery, physical therapy and rebuilding my life. I was lucky to be surrounded by not only my friends and family during this time, but a supportive office and my clients as well. I’d been in real estate for six years and my clients were some of the most helpful people during this time. They’d sit with me in those first months when I couldn’t be alone, they took me to the doctor for my appointments, and they were always full of words of encouragement.
About a month after the incident, my attacker was caught when he came back to finish what he had started. In the process of his confession and trial, I found out that he had killed another woman in a neighboring state. A year later, I made the conscientious effort to reach out to the sister of the other woman. When she told me about Ann, she said we would’ve been friends. I asked her in what way could I honor Ann, and she told me to live life and enjoy life.
In the years since, I’ve gone on to not only survive but to thrive in business and in life. I enjoy going to concerts and spending time with my two children and their dogs, my grand dogs. Family, friends and community are the center of my life and I feel lucky that I get to help others join this wonderful community every day. All those years ago, making it through that difficult time, I was told to “live life and enjoy life.” That’s not only what I do every day, but it’s what I help others do by building wealth through real estate.
Buying a home is emotional and stressful, it’s a huge purchase and one that will affect you in years to come. I know what it’s like to need support, because my community supported me when I needed them the most. That’s the kind of support I’m offering to you, being there for whatever you need. I love this community, and making connections with others is what fires me up. My experience in banking and sales have given me unique insight into the real estate process and how to best help you. I simplify the process for you so that you can relax and focus on the important things in life, living life and enjoying life the best way that you can. I want to help you build wealth through real estate so you can have the life of your wildest dreams.
With gratitude,
Mary Kay Beckman,
REALTOR®
