Girl Helps Old Neighbor Climb Uphill, Next Day He Brings All Neighbors with Him to Thank Her — Story of the Day

Little Harper was playing near the fence at a public park when she noticed their elderly neighbor and decided to help him up the hill. Her mother invited the older man for tea and cookies at their house, but she never expected him to show up the next day with all the other neighbors and with a surprising revelation.

"Harper, get down from the fence, honey! You're going to get hurt!" Samantha called out to her daughter, who was once again playing on the fence of a public park near their home in Seattle. Unfortunately, Samantha couldn't rush to her since she was in a wheelchair.

She had been injured at work a few years ago, and now, she was collecting disability benefits and trying to raise her four-year-old daughter as best she could. But it was always tricky, especially with such an active and curious child as Harper. But they did ok in most aspects.

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"Sure, Mom," the little girl answered and got down from the fence. Samantha breathed a sigh of relief, but then Harper suddenly hopped back on the fence and sprinted toward the side with a tiny hill where she could fall and get hurt.

"Harper!" she exclaimed, scared for her child. She wheeled closer to the fence to see where her girl had gone.

Then she saw something so beautiful it almost brought tears to her eyes. Harper was holding hands with an elderly man as if helping him. Samantha had no idea if a little girl's hand was that helpful, but the older man seemed happy as they walked closer to the fence.

Finally, Samantha realized the older man was their neighbor, Mr. Edison. "Oh, Mr. Edison!" she breathed, happy and relieved again.

"Ms. Harding, your little girl was just helping me walk uphill. It's a little harder at my age," the older man smiled at them both, and little Harper beamed at the praise.

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"I see that. Good job, Harper! But it's not a good idea to run away from me just like that. Next time, tell me before you rush to someone's aid," Samantha said, half-joking, half-serious.

"Ok, Mommy!"

"Mr. Edison, are you going home? Would you like to walk with us? How about tea and cookies too?" Samantha offered. She could use some adult company and conversation after being with just her daughter at home all the time.

"How can I turn down such an amazing offer from two amazing ladies?" the older man said, tilting his hat in an old-school manner.

They all started towards their neighborhood, and Samantha's home was on the way. Mr. Edison lived a few streets over, but everyone knew each other there and tried to be helpful as possible.

"Oh, your garden is a little overgrown. You should've called me, and I could help you with that," the older man commented as they walked towards the front door. Samantha had luckily been able to afford to install a ramp, which made all the difference in the world in terms of having independence as a woman in a wheelchair.

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"Yeah, I can't do gardening anymore, but I wouldn't want to trouble you, Mr. Edison," Samantha replied, shaking her head and opening the door. "Make yourself at home, please."

Mr. Edison sat on the couch, and Harper started talking to him about everything under the sun while Samantha prepared the tea and cookies. After eating some cookies, the little girl went to her room, and the adults got to have some private, more serious conversations.

"I'm sorry for not checking in after your accident. But I didn't know if it would be appropriate either," the older man stated at some point.

"It's fine. Some people have helped, but I needed to learn how to do most things on my own. I needed to relearn life, basically, so I could continue raising her. And I'm also preparing for some work-from-home opportunities, so things are taking a turn in my life right now. But thank you for your offer," Samantha replied. "I would appreciate some gardening, and I could pay you."

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Mr. Edison shook his head as he placed his teacup on the coffee table. "Nonsense. I have my own lawnmower and everything. It's going to be free. But I have to go now. I'll be back tomorrow," the older man countered, standing up and looking around her house with an appraising look.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, frowning.

"Everything is fine, and it will be fine. Anyway, please thank your daughter again for her help, and I'll see you tomorrow with my lawnmower," Mr. Edison said, focusing on her. Then he waved and left, leaving Samantha wondering what that look meant.

***

"Mr. Edison is coming today?" Harper asked the following day while eating her cereal.

"I think so, honey. He's going to help with the garden," the mother answered.

"I can help too!"

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"Only if he allows it, honey," Samantha replied.

Harper heard the doorbell ringing and saw her mother go to open it. The girl followed and hid behind her mother's wheelchair as she took a peek at who was at the door. A tiny smile spread on her face upon witnessing the spectacle outside.

"Good morning!" a huge chorus greeted them, and Harper's eyes couldn't even tell how many of their neighbors had come. But Mr. Edison was right in front with a cheeky smile on his face.

"What's going on?" Samantha asked, surprised.

"It's time for us to be neighborly and help you out. I noticed yesterday that your garden is not the only part of your house that needs some help. You have some water leaks, and Mr. Langley is great with that," the older man pointed at another neighbor who grinned and waved. He explained what everyone else would be doing, and Samantha had no idea what to say as her eyes watered.

In a choked voice, she wondered, "How can I ever repay you for something like this? It's too generous."

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"You raised a little girl who would hop a fence and run to help an older man uphill. And she's just four. You both deserve this," Mr. Edison assured, leaning his torso to look her straight in the eyes.

"Thank you," was all she could say after those beautiful words, and their neighbors got to work arranging her garden, fixing the leaks in the roof, checking her plumbing, cleaning the more challenging spots Samantha couldn't reach, and so much more. Little Harper followed and assisted the adults happily.

It was a gift Samantha was not expecting, but she would never forget it.

What can we learn from this story?

• It feels good to help each other out every once in a while. Mr. Edison saw how Samantha needed help and didn't hesitate to enlist the other neighbors for different tasks around the house.
• Raise your kids to be so kind they would hop through fences and rush to help the elderly. Samantha raised a beautiful, kind, bright girl who was helpful to her older neighbor. That act of kindness inspired others to extend their help too.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a little girl who asked an elderly bus driver to help find her grandmother.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.