Not just another day at work
Wright was having another routine day at work on Aug. 18 of this year when she took a call from a woman out of state who needed help with an escrow account.
“She had saved enough to pay her escrow shortage and was just asking questions about that and making sure that we’ve received it,” said Wright, of Springfield.
But then, things changed.
“She was telling me a story that she was at first super confident and passionate about telling me, and then towards the middle of it she started stumbling over her words, stammering,” Wright said.
The woman kept apologizing and then mentioned that she had lost the ability to write down what Wright was telling her, Wright said.
“Things that she was saying weren’t right or weren’t relevant at all,” said Wright. “The words she was saying weren’t making sense…to the story that she was telling.”
Wright said she knew something was wrong, but let the woman talk a bit longer to be certain it wasn’t just a brief, passing episode.
“When I felt that she needed to have assistance, I led the call to a close and immediately called our security line,” said Wright.
After consulting with the security team, Wright pulled up the client’s information and placed a call to the sheriff’s office in her town of residence.
Wright explained her experience with the woman, and police and medics were immediately dispatched.
“I called back later that night to the sheriff’s department and the only thing they could tell me is that they did make contact, and she had gotten the help that she needed,” said Wright.
The next day, though, Wright’s manager at work contacted her to say that the woman’s daughter had reached out.
Police and medics had found the woman collapsed on her kitchen floor and suffering from a brain bleed. Wright’s call had saved her life.
Renewed purpose
“I was overcome with emotion because I’ve been struggling finding a purpose because Jag was my purpose for so long,” said Wright. “I suddenly felt like I had one again.”
Jag Wright, Traci’s son, died on Dec. 9, 2023 at the age of 11.
“Jag was finally looking down on me, saying, ‘That’s my mom!’ — like he’s telling all his friends up there, ‘That’s my mama!’” said Wright.
Jag Wright was diagnosed with PKAN disease at the age of 7. Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration is a rare genetic disorder characterized by the progressive accumulation of iron in the brain, leading to movement abnormalities such as rigidity and spasms, speech problems, and, in some cases, vision loss.
It was the symptoms of PKAN that helped Wright to recognize that something was wrong with the client on the phone that day.
“Since Jag had this issue in his brain and I was familiar with what that looked like with him, that’s how I was able to make the connection that something was going on with her,” said Wright.
Wright said Jag could turn the world on with his smile and that never changed even on his last day.
“He was blowing kisses at nurses and trying to hold their hands,” Wright said. “He was a sunshine, no matter where he went. Jag enjoyed life the same way anybody else would. If there was something he wanted to do, we did it, of course.”
Although Jag had a wheelchair, Wright still had to carry him sometimes.
“That’s why God gave me broad shoulders because if Jag wanted to do something, we were going to make it happen,” she said.
Wright said after the loss of her son, she felt like she was left “alone and wandering” and it left a hole in her.
“I had been so dedicated to this little person who loved me so much for so long that I didn’t know who I was, I didn’t know what I was capable of doing,” she said.
Until she answered the call that day.
“I was able to take my powers of good to help someone else. It showed me that I can help more people, even if that’s something little…homeownership is stressful,” she said.
Wright has now made it her mission to help others through life, which has given her a renewed sense of purpose, both personally and professionally.
“It can be answering questions and leading them in the right direction; as far as you know, their mortgage or even that phone call gives meaning and purpose to coming to work and that’s something that I was looking for,” she said.
Wright said she approaches phone calls at work with an open mind because, although something may not seem like a big deal, it is to the person on the other end of the line.
“No matter what the issue is, I’m going to give it my 100% attention to make sure that it’s taken care of because…it could be keeping them from sleeping at night,” she said.
Showing up for people and meeting them where they are is helping Wright to heal, she said. She believes a mortgage is not just a house, but it represents a home, and a home is where she made memories with her son.
“When Jag showed up for other people, he was 100% there and he was 100% himself. He’d give you a hug right off the bat, and you’d be his friend,” she said. “That’s how I grieve, so that’s what I do every day, is show up for other people.”
Lasting impact
As the anniversary of Jag’s passing approached, Wright said she had been praying for something to help her get through the difficult time.
“This is what happened,” she said. “And I didn’t realize the power of that phone call until I received flowers from the woman thanking me.”
Wright was also awarded the Moment of Impact Award for her heroic efforts over the phone that day in August. It is awarded quarterly to someone who goes above and beyond to help members.
“This is a powerful reminder of the profound impact we can have on others when we live our mission and our purpose,” said Tim Mislanksy, president and CEO of Wright-Patt Credit Union. “‘Thank you’ does not seem like enough in this situation. Both Traci and the partner-employees on our Physical Security & Emergency Response Team truly showed how WPCU makes a difference for our members and our communities. Not because of our products, but because of our people.”
Wright-Patt Credit Union is a cooperative, meaning it is owned by members. The Moment of Impact program is one way the company showcases when a team member goes above and beyond, making an impact on a team member’s life or a fellow employee’s.
“Someone told me — after hearing this story — that since I did this and saved this lady’s life, that when I get to Heaven, God may just let me hug Jag before anything else,” said Wright. “And that’s when I decided that showing up for others is how I wanted to honor Jag.”
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