4 minute read
Vicki and Bob Bond
Building a legacy of care for our community.
What is really important to you? How can you make a lasting difference? When Bob and Vicki Bond began planning their estate, these were the tough questions they faced. “That’s the thing about estate planning,” Vicki explains. “It made us consider where we wanted to focus our attention and what we wanted to do with our money, both now and later.”
The Bonds had been Huntington Hospital donors for years, and during these conversations they decided it was time to put more of an emphasis on supporting the hospital’s work — both for their benefit and for the good of the community. They have since included us in their estate plans — earning them a place in our Legacy Gift Society. Vicki and Bob also chose to increase their annual giving and become members of the President’s Circle of Huntington Hospital at the Friend level. This generous couple makes all their contributions unrestricted, trusting the hospital to decide where their support will have the greatest impact.
“Planning an estate is one of those tasks that no one wants to do, but everyone needs to do,” Bob says. “Once we did, it really helped us think about what our priorities were.”
A nicer place to live.
Bob and Vicki originally started donating to Huntington Hospital after positive experiences here, including as patients in our Nan and Howard Schow Emergency & Trauma Center. “Being a patient gives you a deeper appreciation for this great resource,” Vicki says. “They are so well established in so many fields, and they have specialists for everything. Most importantly, you can tell the hospital values and cares for each of their patients as individuals.”
Recently, the Bonds relied on our specialized services when Bob developed cancer in his eyelid. Huntington Hospital-affiliated surgeon Michael Burnstine, MD, successfully removed the cancer. “I couldn’t go with him because it happened during the height of the pandemic,” Vicki says. “But I had faith everything would be fine. I knew Bob was in good hands at Huntington Hospital.”
Having a world-class hospital in the area improves the quality of life here,” Bob says. “You never know when you’re going to need it yourself, but it’s always there ready to serve those in need. It makes Pasadena a nicer place to live.
Pasadena is home. Although Bob lived in many places before settling in Pasadena, he and Vicki both consider the city home. Bob’s family relocated several times for his father’s job — from Michigan to Minnesota and from California to Connecticut. Vicki, on the other hand, has spent her entire life in the San Gabriel Valley: She was born in Glendale and grew up in Alhambra.
The Bonds have lived together in Pasadena since they got married in 1990. They both worked at Sempra Energy for many years. Bob spent 21 years working as a tax lawyer there, and Vicki was in the human resources department for 17 years. They retired together in 1999, partly to facilitate their shared love of traveling together. Bob and Vicki have since visited every continent on Earth, including Antarctica.
A state-of-the-art hospital in our backyard.
Traveling has made the Bonds truly appreciate having a resource like Huntington Hospital nearby. Although they considered moving away from the San Gabriel Valley in the past, the couple says our hospital is one of the reasons they have not left. “We’ve realized what a state-ofthe-art hospital really is — and what it means to have one right in our backyard,” Bob says.
The Bonds hope their story will inspire others to include the hospital in their estate plan. “It’s a process people tend to put off, but it’s so important,” Vicki says. “When you start to feel confident in your financial situation, it’s time to think of what you can do to help your community continue to thrive into the future.”
“After everything Huntington Hospital has done for our community, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, they deserve our support,” Bob says. “It’s nice to be able to give back.”
