I had her from “Hello!” Growing up here in east Tennessee, the youngest son of a Korean War vet-turned cop and a Bell South operator, I never dared to dream that something like Fort Sunsets could ever be a part of my life. I spent many hours fishing and playing in the lakes throughout east Tennessee, and always loved coming back home. Just like a Kenny Chesney song, the waters of East Tennessee never disappointed.
Born, raised, and schooled in Knoxville, there is no doubt that I bleed Orange. Still, early in life I set off on a career in logistics that took me throughout the Southeast, from Georgia to Texas, North Carolina and Virginia, all the way down to Florida. That whole time I compared every city, every state to the hills and valleys that saw me become a man. I can honestly tell y’all, never did God create a more perfect place on His Earth than the dirt and water and sunshine that He, in his merciful grace and wisdom, created on Douglas Lake. It took nearly 30 years of wandering before He blessed me with the opportunity to come back home. It wasn’t without challenges, though.
We lived 600 miles away, in another state, and although we visited periodically, the timing was never right. Finally, one day on a visit back home to see family, I took my beautiful bride to THE Lake. It was the first time she saw Douglas Lake, and even though it was only for just a short time, just while we transited the area, the magic of that water with the mountain views… she was hooked! The rest of that ride home she spent hours house shopping online. But, we’d spend two years searching for the right house.
One chilly winter-time weekend found us house hunting again. It was the last house of the day. I was tired, and bored, and hangry. She was increasingly disappointed and disillusioned with house after house that just wasn’t IT. And then, finally…… The moment we drove up I knew this was The One. The hardscape party pad with the fire pit and hot tub, the lower porch and the expansive upper deck were everything I was hoping for. The twin en-suite bedrooms and unbelievable lake views from every single space in the house were what spoke to her. This house, the Fort Sunsets that would become our home, had us from “Hello”. And now, this Volunteer is so happy to get to show y’all how beautiful it is, back where I come from.