A Lonely Volunteer and the Grumpy Old Man Who Changed His Life

On this episode of Our American Stories, after the last of his children packed their bags and left, Paul found himself with too much time and an overwhelmingly quiet home. Rather than give in to empty-nest syndrome, he chose to spend his days doing something that mattered. When he first walked into the nursing home where he planned to volunteer, he didn’t expect to find friendship in its grumpiest resident. Wilbur wasn’t one for company, especially after losing his wife, but Paul kept trying to draw him out. Each visit chipped away at the silence that surrounded them both. Over time, those small moments turned into a steady friendship that helped ease the loneliness they each carried. Paul joins us to share how one simple act of showing up changed two lives.

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