From Pennsylvania comes the story of a sweet old neighbor lighting up social media with his quirky annual tradition.
Recounted to the Washington Post by local Michelle Hernandez, one morning whilst she was working from home, 87-year-old Doug Turner rang her doorbell.
Having only moved to the neighborhood in Bucks County 5 months past, Hernandez had seen Turner merely a few times on the street. He held a piece of paper in his hand.
“Hi, I’m Doug across the street… I live over in that house there,” Turner said. “This is an invite to a party I’m having on February 15th. I didn’t want to leave it in the mailbox.”
Thanking the senior and going back inside, Hernandez unfolded the paper invitation with a hand-drawn snowflake over the words ‘A Celebration of Winter… 4PM until the cops arrive.’
Hernandez thought it was just so sweet, and posted a clip of their interaction that had been caught on her Ring camera on TikTok, where it went viral and accumulated over 2 million views. A follow-up to that in which Hernandez read the letter out loud made another million, with hundreds of commenters urging her to RSVP ‘Yes.’
Turner has lived on the street for 16 years, but has moved around a lot in his life. He and his departed wife used to host these soirees every year to keep friendships “percolating.”
“My wife is gone now, so it gives me something to keep me busy,” said Turner. “I’m going to get these people in one room, and maybe they’ll get to know each other.”
The Post reached out to Turner’s eldest daughter of 64 years who lives in the Bay Area of California, who said that her dad is way more social than she is despite his advanced age.
@meeesher Our cute little neighbor inviting us to a party at his house🥹Reposted with any information blurred out for safety reasons! #neighbors #cryingintheclub #neighborhoodparty #bestneighborhood #friendlyneighbor #oldneighbor #oldpeople #invitation #neighborhood #lovemyneighbors ♬ original sound – Meeesher
“He’s way more social and has way more friends than I do,” she said. “He doesn’t just sit around. He’s actively having people over for dinner, or he’s going to the theater or to lunch. He’s always out there.”
Though the millions delighting in Turner’s vivacity weren’t able to attend his party, his daughter offered them a mailbox address where they could send letters to her dad if they wished. Dozens have already arrived.
Turner loves penmanship and letter-writing and maintains about five written correspondences, so he was certainly charmed when he heard people would be taking the time to write to him.
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