Family of 5 Were Living Without AC During 90-Degree Days, Then Man Makes Surprising Offer

On a hot summer day in Racine, Wis., AT&T technician Marco Herrera went to install fiber internet at the temporary home of Anastasia Benson and her five children.

The family had lost their house to a fire in June 2025 and were struggling to stay cool without air conditioning, as temperatures soared above 90 degrees outside—and even hotter inside.

During the service call, Herrera learned that one of Benson’s children has a serious heat-sensitive medical condition, making the situation even more urgent.

Wanting to help, Herrera reached out to his manager, Anthony Kafura, 61, and together they quickly got approval from AT&T to buy and install an AC unit for the family.

“It was my first job in the morning, and the first thing I noticed when I arrived at the Bensons’ home was how many boxes were around—it felt like they had just moved in,” Herrera, 29, told PEOPLE exclusively.

“While I was working, her five kids were running around and playing, bringing their toys over to show me; it was very sweet.”

Within about 30 minutes, Herrera was already sweating and noticed how little airflow there was inside the house. The temperature both inside and outside was stifling—and it would only get hotter as the day went on.

As they talked, Benson shared that they had lost their home to a fire just weeks earlier and were now living in this temporary residence while trying to rebuild their lives.

“We kept chatting, and later I asked if they had any AC in the house. She said they were supposed to, but it didn’t work,” Herrera recalls. “I asked if she knew what was wrong with the AC in case I could help, but she didn’t.”

Still, Herrera couldn’t stop thinking about how hard this must be for Benson and her family. As a parent himself, he understood their stress.

“We’re encouraged to care for our customers in all the ways we can,” Herrera says. “It didn’t feel right to walk away without trying to help.”

He called his manager, who was also concerned about the family’s situation.

“When Marco told me about it and asked if we could get them air conditioning, I knew we had to act quickly,” Kafura told PEOPLE. “That same day, I visited her home and asked if it would be okay to get a good living room air conditioner.”

AT&T approved the request in about 30 minutes. The company’s “Acts of Kindness” program allows technicians and in-home experts to get support for thoughtful gestures or gifts to help customers during their work.

“When we submitted Anastasia’s story, they recognized the urgency right away, and it was approved the same day,” Kafura said. “We got approval to buy a $500 AC unit, and AT&T covered the cost.”

Herrera and Kafura installed the AC in Benson’s living room on July 14. As soon as it was turned on, her children gathered around, excited to feel the cool air.

“It meant the world to me—seeing the kids happy around the AC was such a good feeling. I’m also grateful to have a manager like Tony who helped me make this happen and always encourages us to truly connect with the people we serve,” Herrera explained.

“In this job, I meet many people and hear their stories—but helping Anastasia and her family and bringing them a little comfort during a hard time is something I’ll never forget.”

Afterward, Herrera and Kafura felt proud of what they had done.

“It felt great to have an impact beyond our daily work,” Kafura admitted.

“It’s really cool that we work for a company like AT&T that always puts the customer first—even without them asking—and gives us the tools to go above and beyond in meaningful ways.”