Won’t you be my neighbor?

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The day after Thanksgiving, around 11am, a man sat on his back porch and heard someone calling for help. I imagine he must have strained a bit, questioning himself -  was that the wind? Kids playing? Is someone in trouble? He must have gotten up and quickly made his way through several backyards toward the cries. As he approached the scene and took in the ladder on the ground, dented gutter, leaves scattered, and blood dripping from the head, the stranger-from-the-backyard immediately called 911.

Realizing the person in need did not remember anything, he ran for more help, hoping the-neighbor-next-door would know him. That neighbor called the-neighbor-down-the-street, often lovingly referred to as the mayor of the neighborhood, who called the son. The son called the rest of the family, which is when my phone rang…

Dad fell off the roof… multiple injuries… headed to RWJ Trauma Center… the neighbor-next-door is driving mom there now.

The next week my father would remain in the surgical ICU undergoing two surgeries. With my mother constantly at his side, the neighbor-down-the-street went above and beyond and filled in for my parents at their annual Christmas for Kids toy drive that they organize. It wasn’t his church, or his people, but he knew it was important to my parents; he took their place when they couldn’t be there. A week later, he hung up their Christmas lights.

Several neighbors helped my family that week. The one that found him started as a stranger; only connected through the backyard and several houses down, he became a neighbor when he answered the call for help. He could have assumed someone else would respond, someone closer. He could have called 911 and left, but he didn’t. He chose to get the-neighbor-next-door. He chose to do a little more. 

The-neighbor-next-door could have dropped my mom off and left. He had already helped tremendously by making sure our family was contacted and driving her the 45 minutes to the hospital. It would have been understandable if he went home, but he chose to stay with her until my sister and brother could be there. He chose to do a lot more.

The neighbor-down-the-street could have contacted the family and called it a day but he was a true friend, and the best kind of friend; the kind that doesn’t just help when it’s convenient for them or in the way they want to, but in whatever way is needed. He joined other close friends who also stepped up to help. They all chose to go above and beyond.  

Seeing this type of support offered to my family has been inspiring and a good reminder of what being a neighbor really means; not just a neighbor to those that live around us, but a neighbor to humankind. Sometimes, it’s doing a little more. Sometimes, it’s doing a lot more. Sometimes, it’s going above and beyond. And sometimes, it’s doing nothing and letting others help you. As the greatest neighbor of all said:

“Taking care is one way to show your love. Another way is letting people take good care of you when you need it.” -Mr. Rogers

Some of you are probably very good at giving more; you are hard wired to go above and beyond but there will be times when you need to let others go above and beyond for you. I hope when that day comes you will allow my family to show the same love and kindness that you have shown us - and not because we feel we owe it; not because we need to pay it back, but rather because when you see someone be a true neighbor, you want to be that neighbor too.

Special thanks to David, Sam, Robert, Blaise, Phoenix, Pam, Dave, and many many more. Thank you for giving in whatever way you could give. Thank you for being our neighbor.