4-Year-Old Girl Talks To Lonely Widower At Grocery Store And Asks For A Photo

Sep 26, 2019

Four-year-old Norah was on a shopping spree with her mom, looking for cupcakes to celebrate her birthday. If cupcakes weren’t enough to keep the little girl happy, she decided that she wanted something surprising for her birthday – she wanted to celebrate it by taking a picture with an elderly stranger that she met in the store. The end result? A happy little girl, an even happier old man, and a new friendship that seems destined to last for a lifetime!

Norah’s mom, Tara Wood, explains that it seemed like a normal day at the grocery store while the mother-daughter pair looked over the cupcake selection, searching for some that would be perfect for Norah’s birthday. Tara was taken by complete surprise when an elderly man walked past and her little girl was instantly magnetized to him.

When Norah caught sight of him, Tara reports that her face lit up as if she had seen an old friend. Waving at the elderly man, Norah waved and declared, “Hi old person!” The little girl then went on to explain that it was her birthday.

While the elderly man initially seemed to be confused and a little perplexed, he softened when he realized that the comment was directed toward him and that the child was trying to be friendly.

He started talking to Norah and the two made quick friends. After a few minutes, they reluctantly said their goodbyes and Norah went back to shopping with her mom.

The two had only been apart for a few minutes when Norah asked her mom if she could find the elderly man and take a picture with him as part of her “birfday” celebration. Quick to agree, Tara and Norah started to look for the elderly man and were able to find him without much of a challenge.

When the gentleman heard about Norah’s birthday request, he went from confused to stunned and then delighted. He couldn’t believe this little child was so anxious to get a picture with him! Norah reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling the old man into a hug. As Tara put it, they hugged like they were long lost friends.

They found out that the elderly man’s name was “Mr. Dan”. When they thanked him for sharing some time to visit, his eyes filled with tears and he explained that the pleasure was all his. He went on to tell Norah and her mom that it was the best day that he’d had in a while and that Norah had made him extremely happy.

Pleased with the events of the day, Tara went home and shared the story along with the pictures on her Facebook page. Many people were quick to comment, their hearts touched by this sweet story.

As it turned out, Mr. Dan had recently lost his wife and was going through a very difficult time. His friends stated that he hadn’t been smiling much lately and that he was pretty lonely and depressed.

Thankfully, that isn’t where the story ends! When Tara found out more details about Mr. Dan through a Facebook friend, she and Norah planned a visit to his house. Norah did her best to make the visit special by bringing along a framed picture of their day at the grocery store along with pictures she had colored and a bag of tasty treats.

Mr. Dan, whose name is actually Dan Peterson, spoke to CBS News about the entire event. He reports that, when Norah came to visit, she grabbed him up into another hug and held on “like there was no tomorrow”. Mr. Dan definitely enjoyed the attention and Tara insists that he is going to be a new part of their family.

True to her word, Tara and Norah have kept in regular contact with Mr. Dan and see him frequently. Mr. Dan, who is 82-years-old, explains that Norah presented a turning point in his life. When he was sad and feeling sorry for himself in the grocery store, this little girl appeared to help lift his spirits and brighten his day.

Following his wife’s death, Dan was struggling with depression and anxiety that kept him awake at night; however, his new friendship with Norah has given him the ability to heal and has helped him to overcome his problems.

Tara credits their meeting with Mr. Dan to divine intervention or fate, and we have to agree with her! It is amazing that she and Norah just happened to run into him when he needed someone the most.

Have you ever stepped out of our way to make friends with someone who was lonely or elderly? Be sure to share your story in the comment section below, and then inspire the rest of the world by inviting your friends to read this amazing story.