We believe that kindness begins in our homes.Then we slowly let it flow to those closest to us.Our neighbors should be the first recipients of kindness outside of our family.It can be as simple as respecting their boundaries or offering a helping hand when they need it.
This American actor took «loving your neighbor» to a whole new level.
Chris Salvatore found himself in an unexpected friendship with an 89-year-old woman. He moved into his apartment in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, in 2015 when he saw an elderly woman looking out her window, always ready with a friendly greeting.
Norma Cook lives on the same floor, just across from Chris.
He started visiting her regularly after learning that she lived alone with her cat.Chris realized that the least he could do was spend time with her.
They soon became best friends, sharing fun moments together.Chris shares this lovely, if unlikely couple on his social media. He posted pictures of them celebrating the holidays together or videos like pizza night where they ate pizza in Norma’s bed.He admits that she garnered everyone’s attention, getting more likes than his own posts.
Then things took a dark turn when Norma was diagnosed with leukemia.
Chris created a GoFundMe page to help Norma with her hospital and medical bills.
The page raised over $30,000 overnight.
It just goes to show how loved Norma was, even to people who only knew her from Chris’ posts.She was overwhelmed with happiness when she learned about this wonderful news.
But the funds soon ran out, and Chris figured out how best to help her.
He invited Norma to stay with him in his apartment.That way, she won’t have to worry about house and utility bills.
Some might think that Norma is very lucky to have Chris, but he thinks the opposite is true.
“As much as I’m here helping her, she’s helped me tremendously. It’s really brought me back to what’s important: family, love, human kindness,” he told.
Norma is also grateful that she had Chris to spend the rest of her days with.
She never wanted to be placed in a home or stay in a hospice until her last breath. After she was hospitalized, she really wanted to go home and be with Chris and her cat. It was the perfect place for her to pass away, in the arms of someone who treated her like family.
Sadly, Norma passed away a couple of years after that, and Chris poured his heart out in this social media post.
“Perhaps Norma’s lasting legacy is that her story helped the world to see the true meaning of love. Norma reminded me that we all are created to love and all desire to be loved,” he wrote on his Instagram post (@chrissalvatore).
Learn more about this touching story in the video below!
