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Woman's door camera captures elderly couple's daily indoor walks. Her response was perfect.

"You got this, Sally and Jack!"

Image via Instagram/@ericcaaa_

Elderly couple Jack and Sally are surprised with a snack and hydration table for their apartment hallway walks by neighbor Erica Richardson.

Staying active later in life is the key to a long, healthy life, according to the National Institutes of Health. So when Erica Richardson (@ericcaaa_) noticed her elderly neighbors, a couple named Jack and Sally, walking the halls of their apartment complex, she knew she had to cheer them on.

After watching the couple on her Ring camera, Richardson decided to surprise them with an epic snack and hydration station outside her apartment door. She also made a mock Hallway Walkers newspaper page with the headline, "YOU GOT THIS! Jack & Sally" splashed across it with a photo of them and some inspirational phrases. One says, "Take a drink or snack for the walk back! :)"

She captioned the video, "The highlight of my day fr 🥹🤍😭."

In the video, Erica wrote in the overlay, "The cutest older couple walks the halls everyday for exercise. I live at the very end of the hall so I get like 0 foot traffic but I see them daily. So ofc (of course) I had to do the most and make them a cutie grab n go."

The couple gets an absolute kick the first time they see it, laughing and grabbing snacks (from an assortment of bottled water, coconut water, pistachios, snack bars and crackers). And Sally gives a thumbs up to the Ring camera. On Day 2, Jack waves and Sally blows Erica a kiss through the camera. On Day 3, Sally blows another kiss as she grabs a Kind bar before giving Jack a cheeky slap on the butt as they walk back down the hall together.

Viewers were absolutely tickled about the sweet act of kindness. "Everything. Your kindness. Their love towards each other. Their gratitude towards you. Everybody’s day is made. So much joy," one person commented. Another wrote, "Can you make this a series?! I could watch this daily. So wholesome and sweet, and you're so thoughtful! The sign cracked me up 😂." And another viewer pointed out, "Sally is real frisky, love that for Jack!"

hallway, hallway walk, hallway walking, jack and sally, ring video Neighbors Jack and Sally come across Erica Richardson's surprise snack station for them.Image via Instagram/@ericcaaa_

"Sally and Jack are SO sweet and social neighbors," Richardson tells Upworthy. "They have been such sweet neighbors to get to know, their love for one another is contagious and ADORABLE!"

Richardson adds that they have been amazing neighbors from the start. "When I first moved in, they had me over for charcuterie and wine and showed me their apartment. I felt so welcomed and loved so it was easy for me to want to make their walks special," she says.

She also shared more about the fun poster she created for them, with encouraging phrases like "Walk your pace, win your race" and "A walk today, a stronger you tomorrow."

ring, ring camera, ring video, neighbors, surprise video Jack and Sally grab snacks and blow neighbor Erica Richardson a kiss on her Ring camera.Image via Instagram/@ericcaaa_

"A lot of people ask where I got the photo of them for the poster," she tells Upworthy. "We recently had a scavenger hunt event for the residents and one of the prompts was to stop at this rooftop bar, so that’s where the photo is from on the poster. They won the scavenger hunt, and went to like 25 places around town in 1 day!"

The couple has also gotten a kick out of their video touching so many people. "They came over yesterday and said 'WE WERE ON THE TODAY SHOW!' and were so excited about it, it was the cutest thing ever," Richardson says.

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Man finds himself playing piano duets with a mystery neighbor. An atypical love story begins.

At first, it seemed like the perfect romantic meet-cute, but turned out to be something far more meaningful.

Photo credit: Canva

Man's through-the-wall piano duet with a mystery neighbor became a beautiful love story.

Sometimes the right two people come along at the right time in each other's lives, and a story for the ages is born. But it's rare that we get to see such stories captured in real-time. This time we're lucky. In a silent saga befitting a Pixar short film—complete with soundtrack—a man and his mystery neighbor have taken us all on a beautiful journey of music, love, longing, and loss.

Giorgio Lo Porto is an Italian living in London, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he shared a video of his new neighbor playing piano. The music is muffled behind their shared wall, but clear enough to hear. Lo Porto wrote that he left a note for the mystery neighbor, telling them he loved their music and asking if they could play "My Heart Will Go On." And so they did.

celine dion, my heart will go on, titanic "My Heart WIll Go On" by Celine Dion Giphy

Lo Porto left another note suggesting that they play something together, each in their own apartments. A call-and-response duet of sorts. He didn't know if they'd do it, or if they'd forget when the time came. He also said he himself hadn't played in months. But he started playing at 2pm, and as soon as he stopped, the neighbor began.

Their duets became a weekend "meet up," playing back and forth through their shared wall.

You can watch a compilation of the performance below but keep reading because there is so much more to this beautiful story:

- YouTube youtu.be


Seems like a perfect meet-cute in a romantic comedy, doesn't it?

On Valentine's Day, they played a duet and Lo Porto wrote "It's Valentine's Day. We're in lockdown. This was our way of saying, I don't know who you are but I'm here. You're not alone."

Then it came time for them to meet.

"Well, today I have met my neighbor," Lo Porto wrote in a video shared a week later. "It was better than expected."

"His name is Emil..."

piano, piano duets, music, mystery neighbor A mystery neighbor started playing along on the piano and a beautiful friendship formed.Photo credit: Canva

"He is 78 years old, originally from Poland. This is his temporary accommodation while he waits for his house to be sold."

"He lost his wife in December due to COVID," Lo Porto shared. "And all he has left is the piano. And the reason why he plays at 2pm every weekend is because his wife loved it."

"He thanked me for keeping him motivated and less lonely. And I promised that I'll play with him until he moves out."

"He is camera shy," he added. "But I'll try again when he's ready."

Lo Porto shared that Emil is "a special soul" and that "he is fine now, healing." And his piano playing is just gorgeous.

Playing with Emil inspired Lo Porto to write his own song. "I woke up with 3 notes in my head," he wrote on February 27.

He added some string orchestration to it and called it "Dear Emil." It's the first song he's ever written.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"When I wrote this piece I started picturing Emil's life," he wrote. "A 78 y.o. widower who lost his wife due to this stupid virus. Spending days at home alone due to lockdown. Looking forward to play her favourite piano songs at 2pm every weekend, until a note appeared on his door. A letter showing he was heard and not alone. And a new friendship started. Two pianos between a wall, not knowing who was playing. But it didn't matter."

"You can be the light of somebody else's darkness. So keep shining." Another week later, Lo Porto announced that Emil was moving out the following week, and shared their last weekend duet—the much requested "Moonlight Sonata."

He said Emil still didn't want to be on camera, but said he was much happier and thanked everyone who had been watching their duets. Lo Porto promised he would keep playing for him on the weekends.

piano, piano playing, music, duets Two men bonded over their love of piano. Giphy

It would be lovely if the story ended there, but it doesn't. (May need a tissue now if you haven't already grabbed one.)

Lo Porto shared on March 14th that he'd received word that Emil had passed away in his sleep: "And now he is reunited with his wife."

"Dear Emil," he wrote. "I knew very little about you, but you changed my life. You gave me back my passion, and we shared that with the world. You'll be in my heart. I'll keep playing, thinking of how powerful music can be. You said I was your light, but you've been mine too. Bye, Emil."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

If you needed a good cry today, hope that helped. And if you needed a reminder that humans can be wonderful and life can connect us in beautiful and mysterious ways, now you've got one.

You can follow Lo Porto on YouTube and listen to his music on Spotify as well.

This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Man notices a single mom's fence falling down so he stopped to build her a new one for free

"Plus I'm sure if they could afford to get it done, it would've been did by now."

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Man sees neighbor's fence falling down so he builds a new one

It's not unheard of for people to do nice things for their neighbors. This might be borrowing a bag of rice to finish dinner or collecting the neighbor's mail while they're on vacation. All of these scenarios are within the realm of normalcy of kind, neighborly interactions but, while some neighbors may come over to assist with a weekend project, most don't take on huge projects without prompting.

A man that goes by the name Uncle Jhonn on social media has made it his mission to go above and beyond for his neighbors. That's why when he was driving through his neighborhood and noticed a neighbor's fence lying on the ground, he decided to get out of his truck and help. But he did more than just a quick repair. Jhonn took the entire fence down, cut it up, and built a new one that wouldn't require replacing for many years to come.

fence, fences, fencing, neighbor, good neighbors looking the sandlot GIF Giphy

"So, today I was riding down the street and that's when I noticed my neighbor's fence laying on the ground, so I decided to replace it completely for free. Just because I' retired y'all and I ain't got nothing better to do. Plus I'm sure if they could afford to get it done, it would've been did by now," the friendly neighbor says in the video he uploaded to social media.

Jhonn quickly clarifies, "Now, I didn't just jump out of my truck with a saw and start cutting these people's fence up. I actually knocked on their door to see if this was something they actually wanted me to do and they was more than excited to tell me yeah when I told them I was going to do it for free."

The woman who owns the home is a single mom who lives with her own mother who was recently involved in a car accident that left the car totaled. While the family's been having a rough patch, they have been attempting to get the fence replaced for several years but the cost is just too much. The removal and installation of a new six foot privacy fence can run anywhere from $4,000 to well over $10,000 depending on the size of the yard, type of gates, and style of privacy fence being installed.

fences, yard work, fencing, building, neighbors, home Guy Tearing Down Fence Takes A Tumble GIF by ViralHog Giphy

Jhonn explains that the family had been quoted over $6,000 by multiple contractors in order for the fence to be replaced, "and we all know with the state the world in right now, $6,000? You might as well say that's a million dollars."

It took the man just under three hours to complete the new fence and cost him a total of $2,173.89. He explains that he has big plans for his neighborhood by doing his part to make it look more desirable. Jhonn uses the money he makes off of TikTok to purchase materials for the free projects he does. The handy neighbor also has a website that has free blueprints of DIY projects like raised garden beds, sheds, mailboxes, and more.

@unclejhonn

Level 2025: Rebuilding the Community… #unclejhonn #diy #diyfence Fence App: @realityfence


People can't stop praising Jhonn's action and dedication to his neighborhood with one person writing, "This is what we need more of neighbors helping neighbors!

"That fence looks amazing!!! You can tell that you didn’t take shortcuts either. Built it like it was for yourself!!! Good on ya," another writes.

"As a single mom thank you I know that family are so grateful and appreciate you," someone else shares.

"You are such a good human. My mom was a single parent for many years and an older gentleman rebuilt our front and back porch because he was worried my Nana would get hurt. My mom was so grateful," one person reminisces.

This article originally appeared in February.

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People rally around woman who ghosted friend after his husband's sudden death

"This was a catastrophe..."

via Liza Summer/Pexels and Canva/Photos

A woman upset she's not talking to her friend.

A woman’s social media post begs the big question: How far should someone go to put themselves out for a friend after they experience a traumatizing situation together? It all began when a woman made friends with her neighbors, Eli and Leo, a same-sex married couple. However, she began to distance herself from Eli after a while because he was “selfish” and “not a very good friend.”

One day, as she was leaving the house to go shopping, she received multiple calls from Eli that she didn’t pick up. He then texted her, “Leo just passed. Please answer.” She rushed home and saw an ambulance in front of the apartment building. When she got to Eli’s apartment, she saw Leo lying dead on the floor with Eli hugging him, sobbing inconsolably.

“They were watching TV when Leo suddenly got up and said he has pain in his chest, then collapsed. Paramedics came and pronounced him dead. They said we now have to wait for the police,” the woman wrote on Reddit. “We were waiting like this on the floor—Eli sobbing and hugging Leo’s body, and me hugging Eli—for almost 2 hrs. Then police came, and we sat on the couch right in front of Leo for another few hours. I did my best to stay calm and collected and help Eli. Many hours later, they took Leo away.”

ambulkance, heart attack, health care, emergency, ambulance driverThe back doors of an ambulance.via Canva/Photos

Eli asked the woman to call and tell Leo’s parents, who didn’t know that he was gay or married. They didn’t believe her. Eli’s cousins came over for a while and then left. “I stayed till late night, ordered food, cleaned, etc. We watched TV under the same blanket I used to cover Leo’s body. I didn’t sleep that night,” the woman continued.

Over the next few days, Eli kept calling the woman, asking her to come over, but she told him she was “sick” because “the thought of entering that apartment makes me shake.” The incident was so traumatic for the woman that she has made an appointment to see a therapist. “I feel deeply affected by what happened. I keep seeing flashbacks. I’m afraid to leave my apartment because I’m afraid to run into Eli. I was already depressed and I’m so so lonely,” she wrote. “I feel so guilty for ghosting Eli in this horrible situation when his whole world collapsed.”

upset woman, sad woman, trauma, woman staring at floor, brunette, woman on couchAn upset woman with her thoughts.via Liza Summer/Pexels

She asked the online forum if she was in the wrong for ghosting Eli, and just about everyone supported her choice.

“No, dear, [it’s not your fault]. This was a catastrophe, and you are in crisis and need help. What happened to you was very traumatic, and you are traumatized; you need to find help from your loved ones (or professionals, if those resources are available to you) to heal from this. You can't draw water from an empty well, and in my opinion, you should only consider assisting Eli in ways that contribute to or at least don't completely derail your recovery. You've already been more help to them than anybody else has. You can't keep anybody warm by setting yourself on fire. I'm so sorry this happened to both of you, what a horrible, tragic experience and loss,” the most popular commenter wrote.

“His husband just died, and you were kind enough to help him through the immediate aftermath. It does suck that he doesn't have a support system he needs, but you don't either,” another commenter wrote.

via Canva/Photos

The only person with a problem with how the woman handled it believes that she needs to give Eli a reason why she isn’t responding to him. “[You’re in the wrong] for ghosting him without explanation. That only makes things worse. You are emotionally drained and do not have the bandwidth to support him. That is completely fine. You just need to communicate that fact to him,” they wrote.

Ultimately, the commenters believe the woman did the right thing to stand by Leo’s side, even in the most disturbing situations, and she deserves praise for her kindness. In the comments, the woman wrote that she has no support, so the positive response, even by a Reddit forum of strangers, has to have made her feel some relief at a time when she is so traumatized.

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