“She looked up at me through her large blinder style sunglasses and with a trembling voice she said ‘I don’t have him anymore.’ My heart sank.”

When this man heard the heartbreaking news, he rushed out into the street and wrapped a total stranger in a genuine and loving hug.

This man with the kind eyes is the Mr. Rogers of his neighborhood, and he has no idea!

Mr. Rogers was incredibly popular because he was the kind of magnetic person who everyone wished was their neighbor. That is exactly the kind of guy that Aldon O’neill Ward III is!

Aldon usually inspires smiles to appear on people’s faces when they pass by his front yard, but on this particular day, he noticed a familiar elderly woman from the neighborhood walking by with tears in her eyes. Even though he didn’t know what was going on, he knew in his gut that she wouldn’t be smiling or laughing anytime soon.

Aldon didn’t even know this woman’s name, but as soon as he could tell that something was wrong, he rushed out into the street and wrapped her in a big, loving, bear hug.

Now that’s the kind of act that wins you the award of best neighbor ever!

Later on, Aldon shared the story of the bittersweet event, which had been captured by his home security camera, on his Facebook Page.

The story begins in 2011…

“Since 2011 I’ve seen an older couple walking the neighborhood every morning and evening. Matching windbreaker outfits, large white new balance sneakers and a stick in hand.”

Even though they didn’t formally know each other, the couple would wave at Aldon and blow kisses at his dogs every day when they walked by the yard. It didn’t matter the weather or time of day, the old couple always seemed happy together.

“Always saying what a beautiful day it was even if they were walking in the rain without an umbrella. We never exchanged names but I knew where they lived and they knew where the boys and I lived.”

For years on end, the couple walked by routinely, occasionally saying hello or stopping to chat briefly.

The day that Aldon saw the old woman walking alone, he realized that things might have taken an unexpecting and heartbreaking turn.

“I’m watering my freshly laid sod. Griswold, my standard poodle, is close by vigilantly protecting me from dragonflies and the occasional squirrel. A windbreaker suit swooshes slowly down the street below. Alone, the woman approaches. I wave, she waves. I exclaim in a joking manner, ‘where’s the better half?’”

The woman, who still did not know Aldon’s name, came to a stop and began to slowly shake her head. It was the kind of head shake that people give you before letting you know the bad news.

“She looked up at me through her large blinder style sunglasses and with a trembling voice said ‘I don’t have him anymore.’ My heart sank.”

Instinctively, Aldon ran into the street and approached the woman with his arms open wide.

“‘Ma’am?’ I said as I approached her. She turned and with tears streaming from behind here large sunglasses, not another word was spoken, we hugged. Big hugged. Like she was my mom or my grandmother.”

The woman cried into Aldon’s chest, clearly finding comfort in his embrace.

“I’m just trying to do the things that we used to so I still feel like he’s around…. I needed that.”

Sometimes all you need is a genuine hug from a loving stranger to get through the hardest days.

And we can all benefit from the reminder that selfless kindness is alive and well in the world, as long as we have individuals like Aldon out there.

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Source: Facebook, Shareably