4-Year-Old Visits Her 82-Year-Old BFF on Halloween
A 4-year-old girl and an elderly man have struck up a sweet and special friendship. Mom of seven Tara Wood, who lives in Augusta, Ga., shared on Facebook how her daughter Norah — who has said in the past how much she loves elderly people because “they walk slow like I walk slow and they [have] soft skin like I [have] soft skin” — met and befriended 82-year-old Dan Peterson, whom she affectionately calls Mr. Dan. It all started when Tara took Nora to the grocery store in September to pick up cupcakes for the 4-year-old’s birthday.
“She was sitting in one of those carts that look like a car or truck or whatever when an older gentleman walked by,” Tara explained in her post. “We’d passed several other elderly customers, but she seemed magnetically drawn to this man. Her face lit up like the sun, she waved excitedly, and said, ‘Hi, old person! It’s my birfday today!’”
The man, undaunted after having been called “old,” waved back and the two chatted for a bit. A few minutes later, Nora asked her mom if she could take a photo with Mr. Dan for her birthday. They found him still at the grocery store, and he kindly agreed. “And so they posed together and then they hugged each other like they were long lost friends,” wrote Tara. “We thanked ‘Mr. Dan’ for taking time to spend a few minutes of his day with us. He teared up and said, ‘No, thank you. This has been the best day I’ve had in a long time. You’ve made me so happy, Ms. Norah.’”
According to LittleThings.com, after Tara posted about the sweet encounter on Facebook and included some photos, she received a private message from someone who recognized Dan. Tara learned that Dan’s wife, Mary, had passed away in March and that meeting Norah had touched him. In fact, Dan shared with CBS News that he was having a particularly hard time before Norah came along. “It was one of those days that I’m on my own little private pity party,” he said. “And I’m feeling sorry for myself and doubting my beliefs, and it obviously changed my opinion that day, and lifted my spirits to heights that I hadn’t known for a long time.”
Tara asked the friend for Dan’s phone number and called him a few days later to get together.
“They came by the house, and sure enough, [Norah] grabbed me and hugged me like there was no tomorrow,” Dan told CBS News.
“Norah brought him a framed picture of the two of them in the grocery store, pictures she colored (he put them on his fridge!) and a bag full of pastries and Butterfingers,” said Wood.
Along with celebrating Dan’s 82nd birthday recently, the new BFFs also spent some time on Halloween together. Norah dressed up as Minnie Mouse and visited Dan with her mom. The two shared candy, hugs, and took photos together. Their bond has changed both of their lives, but particularly Dan’s.
“If I didn’t have anything else to do the rest of my life,” he told CBS News, “I have her to love.”
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