He took a better look at the sign in the window and nearly fainted. Why would someone write such a thing?
His eyes filled with tears as he called his children. He needed to share this message with the world.
Meet Gloria Porter
88-year-old Gloria Porter from Connellsville had been feeling lonely ever since her husband passed. Every day, she would look out her third-story window to pass the time.
She was recently diagnosed with pneumonia and feared she wouldn't be able to fight it. It could be fatal for someone her age.
Lonely
Gloria was grateful for her children and grandchildren to keep her company, but when they left, she couldn't help but feel lonely.
So, she kept herself occupied by looking out the window. Then one day, she saw something that caught her attention.
New Friend
One morning, Gloria watched the ironworkers shaping the colossal steel structure for some time until one of the men noticed her watching them and waved at her.
He made Glorias' day. It warmed her heart that someone had noticed her. His name was Jeff Reick, and he had been working as an ironworker for many years.
Feeling Sorry
When Jeff noticed an elderly woman watching him, he felt sorry for her.
She looked so lonely and sad. She reminded him of his grandmother, who was no longer alive.
Worried
Jeff couldn't help but worry for the old lady, so he climbed back up to the scaffolding that was directly in line with her window.
What happened next would leave Gloria speechless.
"Get Well"
Gloria looked up and read the message that the kind ironworker had written for her. “GET WELL," the sign read. Her eyes filled with tears. This small act of kindness touched her heart.
She called the nurse on duty and asked for help with putting together a message for Jeff. What did she have in mind?
Gloria's Response
Gloria wrote two words on a piece of paper and taped them to the window. When Jeff saw her message, he burst into tears.
The message read: “STAY SAFE.” She felt that Jeff and his coworkers needed that reminder that day.
Dangerous Work
The cold weather and snow had made Jeff's work even more dangerous. The snow and ice left a slippery and dangerous slick on the metal he and his crew were balancing on.
They couldn't afford even one tiny misstep.
Viral
Jeff was so touched by the elderly woman's response that he took a photo of her sign and posted it on Facebook.
His heartfelt post immediately went viral. So did Gloria's health improve?
All-Clear
A few days after Gloria met Jeff, she was given the all-clear by her doctor and discharged from the hospital. She wasn't aware that Jeff's post had received so much attention online.
Then, another woman arrived at the hospital with a note in her hand. She had seen the story on the news and wanted to perform a small act of kindness, too. What did she do?
"Pizza Is On Me"
The woman had written a note of her own for the ironworkers at the hospital, and it read: “Your random act of kindness melted my heart!! Enjoy!! Have some pizza on me!!”
Jeff and his crew opened the envelope and saw cash inside. The woman wanted to treat all of them to lunch.
Simple Gesture
Jeff and his coworkers were all touched to know that the people cared about their well-being.
Jeff later explained why he had written a note to Gloria that morning: “I just try to lead by example and be a good person. I just hope everybody would do things like that because the world is not a very nice place."
National Random Acts of Kindness Day
Jeff and Gloria met on February 17, which is actually National Random Acts of Kindness Day!
This day is celebrated by organizations, groups, and individuals, but Gloria was probably unaware of this.
Heartfelt Post
That day, Jeff reached out to a fellow human being who looked sad and lonely. He didn't expect to receive a response from her, though.
Jeff's Facebook post has touched the hearts of millions — and for a good reason!