20+ year member with numerous platinum years under my belt and 2+ million points need. The Mrs. and I also have 2 Vacation Club Timeshare weeks in Aruba that we purchased in '04 and '06. The only thing I'm lacking is the 1000 hotel nights as I had spent the last 3 or 4 years staying at Marriott (preferred) to earn my Platinum status and then switched to another "chain" to make there max annual status. Once that was completed, I switched back to Marriott to finish out the year... As I indicated I've done that for the last 3 or 4 years.
I found out early in 2011 about the Lifetime Status from a business friend / road warrior. Shortly thereafter, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 GBM Brain Cancer. Surgery was followed by Chemo, Radiation and participation in a Phase II/III DCVax clinical study. At the moment I'm 14 months post-surgery -- a walking talking miracle! I won't bore everyone with the gloom and doom about all this (Google will tell you more than you want to know) but I called Customer Service about a week ago about passing my pending (in early 2013) Lifetime Platinum status to my wife if/when the inevitable happens. ...what a nice, thoughtful thing to do wouldn't you say?...
As it turns out, Platinum status is hers for the asking in such a situation but only annually -- she'll need to call into Customer Service each year, explain the situation, have them check MY account as well as HER account for a note and then send her a Platinum card good for the year. With all of us out there doing so much time away from home and catering to provider, wouldn't it be pleasant for our spouse to share in the benefit? ...without the annual request...
...just one Country Boy's opinion...
And do remember all, life could always be worse for someone else out there -- don't be so ready to complain -- Even I feel I have it better than most!
Jersey Dave