Black family of seven 'adopts' 82-year-old elderly neighbor as their new 'grandpa' for wholesome reason

People are designed to be together. Whether by blood or love, living in a community and vouching for each other is the mechanism people are meant to follow. No one should be forced to live alone, especially due to old age. In an extraordinarily heartwarming instance, Wilson and Sharaine Caraballo ensured the same and made special arrangements for 82-year-old Paul Callahan, per USA Today. It all started when the Caraballo family moved to a new home next to Callahan. As a new resident, Sharaine was unsure what to expect, especially concerning neighbors.

"Our biggest fear moving into a new neighborhood was, 'What if our neighbors don't like us?' What if, because we have a lot of kids, they make a lot of noise and we come from a big family, so what if there's any conflict with the neighbors? We're the only Black family in our neighborhood,” she shared. However, her fear vanished when she met a delightful handyman—Callahan. From helping them with repairs to giving pointers about their newly purchased home, the man stunned the Caraballos with his kindness.

As they interacted with him further, they learned that he had recently lost his wife. What followed was an added dose of interaction and bonding. Wilson, Sharaine and the kids all enjoyed Callahan’s company. “He was coming over with tools. He’d bring screwdrivers and teach Wilson how to fix up the garage and Wilson followed all his advice,” Sharaine said, per Newsner. Soon, the man became more than just a handyman and neighbor, he became a friend and eventually became family. Callahan too, looked forward to meeting the energetic family and getting a dose of their infectious love. “It reminds me of when we, my wife and I, first started. There’s just something about this family that makes me feel at home,” he exclaimed.

Moreover, the kids loved the 82-year-old more than anyone else. “The kids run up to him like that’s their grandfather. Paul is a family member. He’s no longer considered a neighbor,” Sharaine shared. She mentioned in a heartfelt post on Instagram how grateful she was to have Callahan as a grandfather figure. She shared glimpses of her kids bonding with the man in several instances and wrote, “God blessed my family with having a neighbor like Paul.” Sharaine went on to mention how Paul was a gift to the family with his selfless love.

“He comes over and hangs out with our family. Educates my husband on different tools. Leaves donuts every Saturday for the kids. Bought the kids' bags full of brand-new socks, gloves, and hats for the winter. Comes to the cookouts in the summer and just brings overall joy to our family,” she exclaimed. “My family and I adopted him as ‘Uncle Paul.’ There are definitely good neighbors out here but we got the best one,” she concluded her post. Her page is filled with joyful memories her family has been able to create with Callahan. Sharing a message from his wisdom, Callahan said, “You get many chances to talk to people. If you don't take a chance, you may miss a friend. It doesn't hurt to be nice. That's the other thing, it costs you nothing, but a lot of times, you get a better return."

This article originally appeared 3 months ago.