Instant connection

One of the greatest perks of priority list membership at Eagle's Trace is the opportunity to connect with people who live at the Erickson Living-managed community in West Houston.

During a visit to Eagle's Trace in February 2019, priority list member Nancy Fountain discovered a special bond with Nancy McNeese, who moved to Eagle's Trace in September 2018.

"My husband and I walked into the Amarillo Terrace lobby at Eagle's Trace, and I heard a lady speaking Spanish," says Nancy Fountain. "I asked where she learned the language, and she told me she was born and raised in Mexico City. What a coincidence. So was I."

Nancy McNeese was ordering a to-go meal from Stetsons Restaurant when she heard a voice inquiring about her use of Spanish.

"I like to speak Spanish whenever I can, so I don't lose it," says Nancy, who introduced herself and asked the guest's name. "When she told me her name was Nancy, I looked at her and said, 'Me, too.'"

The two women, five years apart in age, were both born to expatriate families and raised in Mexico City. They attended the same school, the American School in Mexico City, and their parents were friends.

"Our paths are so similar, and our life experiences overlap in so many areas, it's incredible," says Nancy Fountain. "It's almost like finding a long-lost sister."

"When you share a childhood connection with someone, it opens up memories you haven't thought of in decades," says Nancy McNeese. "It's fun to compare notes about places and experiences we remember. We're similar in many ways. We both go at 220 volts. Nancy came into my life at just the right time."

The friendship was instantaneous. When Nancy Fountain learned Nancy McNeese's birthday was the following month, she offered to help plan the party.

"It's just been one fortuitous connection after another," says Nancy McNeese. "I can't wait for her to move in."