A family of seven in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, is adding an unexpected new member to the brood: their elderly neighbor.
Sharaine Caraballo and her husband, Wilson, make sure that 82-year-old Paul Callahan, who lives across the street, is invited to every family dinner, cookout and holiday gathering.
“The kids run up to him like that’s their grandfather,” said Sharaine. “Paul is definitely a family member. He’s no longer considered a neighbor.”
Watch how this 82-year-old has been ‘adopted’ by a neighboring family as one of their own in the video below.
When her family moved into the house, they weren’t sure what to expect.
“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?” said Sheraine. “We’re the only Black family in our neighborhood.”
She says the fear disappeared as soon as she met the neighbors, including handyman Callahan. He showed up with a ladder and offered pointers to help fix things around their newly-purchased home. After learning Callahan’s wife had recently died, Sharaine’s family started interacting with the widower on a regular basis.
The relationship has grown from there. Now, he spends nearly every day at the house, entertaining the kids and sharing stories about his life.
“You get many chances to talk to people. If you don’t take a chance, you may miss a friend,” said Callahan. “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.”
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