I was able to tell him about a remarkable young man who swung into action during a crisis, and how he worked three 19-hour days

However, if this "remarkable young person" instead worked six 9-hour days and billed them per hour, I am sure he wouldn't get such "remarkable" comments. Each and every employer tries to get as much free lunch as possible.

I had an employer who made a big fuss about me taking a half a day off for a private event, even though I regularly did overtime without being paid for it.

I once had a guy literally call me a "genius" because he was trying to get me to make him some software for free. Of course at the risk of not being referenced as a "genius" (yeah, right) to other employers by this guy, I refused.

If you need a reference, why not develop a project on your own and show it to potential employers (I mean those who can actually pay a decent wage). Plus you keep the IP rights and don't have to go through the hassle of working with a customer (requirements change, etc).