Even with 78 years of age difference, these two incredible people still so beautifully relate to each other, like their hearts and souls know them from a distant age. It’s purely one magical story of a grandpa like stranger and a little girl!
Norah’s mother, Tara Wood, shared a beautiful episode from her life on TODAY Parenting, where she wrote that her little girl was a keen observer and has a special liking for older people.
“I like old peoples the best ‘cos they walk slow like I walk slow and they has soft skin like I has soft skin. They all gonna die soon so I’m gonna love ‘em all up before they is [sic] died,” she quoted her daughter.
Next day, on Norah’s fourth birthday, her mother to take her to a grocery store to make purchases for the birthday celebrations. While the sweet little Nora was sitting on the shopping cart, she saw an old man standing in the same aisle.
“Hi old person! It’s my birthday today!,” Norah said excitedly, while expecting the same enthusiastic reply from the elderly stranger.
He mother was totally embarrassed when her daughter called the senior gentleman as “old man” and felt like apologizing with all her heart. But just then something amazing happened…
The stranger turned around to check out who had called him “old man.” Instantly his facial expression changes seeing the cute little girl and smiles while saying, ” Hello little lady! how old are you today?”
He chatted with Norah for a few moments and wished her Happy Birthday and leaves the store. Norah gave a Hug before parting, which was very touching farewell.
While the old man was leaving the grocery store, Tara felt like capturing the moment in a photo – so she rushed to stop him, requests him for a taking pictures with him and her little one.
“His expression rapidly morphed from confused to stunned to delighted,” Tara wrote.
“He took a step back, steadied himself on his shopping cart, and placed his free hand on his chest. ‘A photo? With me?’ he asked.
“He wordlessly stared at her with twinkling eyes as she kept his hand in hers and studied his skinny veins and weathered knuckles. She kissed the top of his hand and then placed it on her cheek. He beamed. I asked his name and he told us to call him “Dan,” Tara wrote in her article.
They thanked the elderly citizen. “No, thank YOU. This has been the best day I’ve had in a long time. You’ve made me so happy, Miss Norah,” he said.
She posted these photo on the Facebook and recorded the event at the grocery store.
Dan Peterson fell into deep depression after his wife Mary passed away a six months back, leading a lonely life until he met Norah the little girl, who brought joy and happiness to him.
Tara then gathered more information about Dan and visited him at his home with her little daughter after a couple of months.
It was yet another surprise for Dan when Tara and Norah visited his home.
Norah gave a usual hug and kept chatting with him, as if she was healing his broken heart and emotional wounds.
“As we walked him to his front door after lunch, he pulled out a pocket knife and cut the single red rose blooming by his porch. He spent ten minutes cutting every thorn off of the stem before handing it to his new friend,” her mother noted.
“She keeps that rose, now dry as a bone, in a Ziploc bag under her pillow.”
Since then Norah and Tara make regular weekly visits, even if it is for a short time Nora would be happy to see Dan and give him her uncharacteristic hug.
On one another visit, Dan told Nora’s mother that “he hadn’t had an uninterrupted night’s sleep since his wife died. He told me that he has slept soundly every night since meeting my girl.”
“Norah has healed me,” he said.
With regular visits and interaction Dan became one of the family member and they even invited him for the Thanksgiving festival.
Once lonely widower who was a stranger becomes a family member in the Little Norah’s home.
Watch this beautiful video below!
Photos: Source Facebook/Tara Wood
This story was originally published on TODAY Parenting.
