Page 46 - 2018AugSept

Carol's Corner - Get Your GOOD NEWS HERE!

by: Danielle Garrand CBS NEWS

Stranger helps celebrate the birthday of a mans late wife!

regory R. Johnson saw senior Early in their conversation, the Kroger
man at the supermarket with red store manager asked to take a photo
Groses and a birthday cake in his of Jim with his flowers to put on the
cart. Thinking he was celebrating a happy market's bulletin board, which Johnson
occasion, Johnson struck up a conversation, learned was a yearly tradition.
but soon discovered the birthday girl died As the two men continued to speak,
five years ago. the manager asked Johnson to be in
Johnson wrote in a Facebook post that he another photo with Jim, and there was
was on a trip to his local Kroger supermarket a clear difference between the two
Tuesday in Greenwood, Indiana, when he images.
stood next to an older man in a shopping "Now there was a grin on his face
wheelchair at the deli counter. where in the earlier picture, a sad
"He had a dozen roses and a big birthday defeated man was photographed with
cake in his cart," Johnson said, "I made the his roses and birthday cake. He was
comment, 'it looks like you've got a big happy in the moment," Johnson wrote
night planned.' He glanced up at me with on Facebook.
the saddest eyes I believe I've ever seen and As the conversation began to wind
told me his story." down, Jim asked Johnson if he would
The man was celebrating a birthday, but he come come back to his home, share the
was doing it alone. Johnson said the man, cake and put the flowers on display.
referred to as "Jim," lost his wife five years "I simply looked at him and told
earlier and still stuck to a birthday tradition him I'd be honored to sit at his table
every year. "He would put the roses on the and have a piece of cake with him in
table when he got home and cut them both a remembrance of his wife," recounted
piece of birthday cake," Johnson recounted Johnson.
on Facebook. So, the two men celebrated Jim's
"My heart just broke. I was just devastated beloved wife together at his home,
and he looked completely broken. And I looking at old photos and enjoying
knew that I wanted to do whatever I could each other's company. Johnson told his
in that moment to take his mind off of his new friend that they will get together
heartbreak,"Johnson told CBS News, "So again soon for lunch or dinner and Jim
I starting asking him questions about their "seemed to like hearing that."
life together and I believe his reminiscing What would have been an ordinary evening turned into an
made him feel better." extraordinary one. "Hopefully I made that man's night a tad bit
Johnson spoke with the man for over 90 minutes and learned all better," wrote Johnson, "because he certainly made mine one of
about the life he had shared with his wife, Gloria, of 53 years. the best I've had in a long time."
Jim met his wife while in high school -- she was a cheerleader
of Jim's rival school basketball team -- where he was the star
player. After Jim's team beat Gloria's, he invited her to watch Good News is all around us! If you have some good
him play the following night. She showed up and they had been news that you want to report - send us an email at
together ever since. info@celebrationmag.com

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