I first met Sharon Pratt years ago while knocking doors on the campaign trail.
She greeted me with that trademark Sharon style—sharp, funny, and straight to the point.
I never imagined our paths would cross again years later over real estate, a collapsed wall and one of the biggest messes I’ve ever had to untangle.
Back in May, while trying to sell Sharon’s house, a shoddy landscaper came to “fix” her yard.
He fiddled with the sprinkler system and left.
The next day, the sprinklers turned on… and never shut off.
By the morning of May 29th, the ground gave way, and her entire 20ish-foot retaining wall collapsed into the yard of her neighbors—the family who owns DThai Bistro.
Imagine waking up to find a mountain of mud and block where your beautiful yard used to be…
If you know Mesquite, you know DThai Bistro is a staple.
And the family that owns it?
Hardworking, local small business owners, one of which is a military veteran.
They could have raged.
God (and anyone who knows me) knows I would have.
They could have demanded answers.
Instead, they were patient, calm and gracious while staring at a mountain of mud and block for months.
Meanwhile…
- The landscaper refused any responsibility.
- Sharon’s insurance said, “Not our problem.”
- The neighbors’ insurance said the same.
So, Sharon—already battling serious health challenges in assisted living—was left with the bill.
Over $30,000.
Sharon’s son, who lives in the midwest, and I fought tooth and nail to help:
- A dozen calls to landscapers and contractors.
- Meetings with insurance adjusters.
- One dead end after another.
Finally, Kokopelli Landscaping stepped in. They were the only ones willing and able to fix the wall.
By the time the dust settled, Sharon had to cash in investments to pay for repairs out of her savings.
It wasn’t fair, but she had no other option.
Thank God, we managed to sell her home within two weeks of realizing she was on the hook for repairs.
But this story isn’t just about a wall collapse or a crazy real estate deal.
It’s about Sharon.
She was the first woman in Nevada to earn a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License).
She started with a single truck—driving it herself and hauling gravel.
From there, she grew her own trucking company, hired drivers and even added a rock crusher to make gravel herself.
She didn’t whine about being “held back.”
She climbed into that big rig cab and took what she wanted.
Creating jobs, building something out of grit and horsepower.
That’s Sharon.
So when the wall came down, when the bills piled up, when the stress threatened her health—she persevered.
And she came out the other side still her silly self.
The other night, after months of stress, money, and a battle none of us will forget, we finally got to celebrate.
Sharon, Olivia, Pam, and I sat down for dinner at Gregory’s Steakhouse in Mesquite.
Sharon raised a tequila sunrise to toast the victory.
Because the best way to close out a home sale and $30,000 sprinkler saga is with good friends, good food and a stiff drink.
Sharon’s life is proof that resilience isn’t built in comfort.
It’s not built on excuses or waiting for permission.
And it sure as heck ain’t built on victimhood.
It’s built behind the wheel of a gravel truck, in the middle of an insurance fight, and yes—even in the shadow of a collapsed wall.
While the world is busy shouting about glass ceilings, Sharon was busy shattering them.
She’s my friend.
One hell of a lady.
And the author of a story worth sharing.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views.
