4-Year-Old In The Grocery Store Starts Heartwarming Friendship With Elderly Man

A heartwarming friendship started up when a friendly 4-year-old spotted an elderly man shopping in the grocery store and asked for a hug. How precious!

Norah Wood was with her mother, Tara, and the pair were going through the food aisles of their grocery store in Augusta, Georgia. While Tara was pushing Norah around in the cart, Norah noticed an elderly man, Dan Peterson, as they were making their way around the corner. She quickly reached out to Dan and said “Hi, old person!” while waving enthusiastically.

Immediately after her greeting, Norah asked Dan for a hug. Dan smiled from ear to ear and wrapped the little girl in his arms. Without Norah knowing it, she was showing Dan love and kindness during his darkest days. His wife had just died, and he was feeling very depressed. Dan expressed that meeting Norah and the hug that she gave him was the first time he had felt happiness in quite a while.

“His little lip quivered, and he was tearing up. And it was just sweet,” said Norah’s mother.

After Norah got her hug from Dan in the grocery store, she asked her mom to take a picture of her with her new friend. And this friendship lasted years past that grocery store encounter!

Over the next few years, Dan and Norah got to see each other about once a week! Dan was there for Norah’s kindergarten graduation, and Norah was able to take many strolls with Dan through his garden. Even the day before Dan died last month at the age of 85, Norah was able to visit him and give him one last hug.

This sweet friendship just shows off humanity at its best! And reminds us all how important it is to love one another and be loved.