Grandpa Makes Cribs for Neighbor's Babies, Years Later They Gather for His 100th Birthday — Story of the Day

After Grandpa Dixon's only grandson passed away, he had nobody. A few neighbors learned he could make cribs and decided to support him by requesting cribs for their children. Over the years, he grew close with his neighbors, and when he turned 100, they gathered for a big surprise.

Grandpa Dixon's last grandson sadly passed away from a rare autoimmune disease. With all of his relatives gone, the man grew lonely as he entered his late 80s. He was still too sprightly to move into a retirement home, but his house was big and empty, and he often thought about his lost family.

His grandson had been the last remnant of his loved ones. The young boy had lived with his granddad after his parents passed away, and the old man loved him dearly. He took care of him in his final days, and Grandpa Dixon struggled to overcome the loss when he was gone. He even gave up on his woodworking hobby.

With all his friends in retirement homes, and no one left to care for, the elderly man started looking toward his community, and he slowly got to know his neighbors. His one neighbor was always pleasant, and he discovered they had much in common. She was a single mother with no other family left.

His neighbor, Sarah, had recently given birth, and her husband had passed away shortly after, leaving her to provide for her new baby daughter. She didn't have much, and she made a bed for her little Cherise in an empty drawer every night. So, when Grandpa Dixon found out about this, he gave her his late grandson's old crib that he had made himself.

"Oh, that's so sweet of you! The woodwork is lovely, Grandpa Dixon. Where did you get it?" she enquired when he showed up at her house with the crib.

He explained he had built it for his grandson before the boy was born. he gave him an impressed look, thanked him again, and the two carried the crib into her room. That night, baby Cherise slept like a log, only waking up once. Sarah was so happy about the new crib she showed it off to all her friends.

"My goodness, Sarah! Where did you find this?" they all wanted to know.

"Grandpa Dixon, the sweet man next door, showed up on my doorstep with it and said he had built it for his grandson. The poor man has no one left after his grandson passed away. I feel so bad for him. I wish there were something we could do."

The story of Grandpa Dixon and his incredible crib spread through the community with vigor, and soon the people showed up on his front porch, asking whether he would build them a crib as well. At first, the old man hesitated, saying his hands weren't as nimble as they used to be, but the look of the new parents wore him down.

"I suppose I could put something together. I still have my old tools in the garage, and it's high time I kept myself busy with something other than the news," he said when the fourth couple knocked on his door.

"Oh, thank you! We'd much rather have a beautiful crib our children can use for their children one day than a rickety store-bought one."

So, the man set to work gathering all his old equipment in his garage and clearing out a workspace. The going was tough at the start, and his fingers weren't used to the harsh motions, but the more he filed and sawed and hammered, the more he enjoyed himself.

He made them in all shapes and sizes. Some young couples wanted something specific, while others just waited and saw what he made. He made beautiful engravings on the headboards, and the local woodcraft store even kept their most beautiful product just for him.

After a while, he made a profitable business out of his hobby, and one of the local couples who owned a bed store sold him discounted quality mattresses he could place in his creations. Soon, the entire neighborhood had brand-new cribs.

One day, a sweet couple ordered one of his cribs, and after working hard on it, Grandpa Dixon showed up at their house with the new baby bed on the back of his blue pickup truck. The husband and wife stepped outside smiling, and the three took the sizeable wooden bed inside. Once in the house, Grandpa realized no toys were lying about, and no laughter was coming from the backyard.

"Excuse me if this seems intrusive, but it doesn't seem like you two have any children at all."

"Oh, we don't," they replied.

"Are you planning on having any soon?" Grandpa Dixon enquired tentatively.

"Not really, no. My wife Tracy can't have children, and we decided to wait a few years before trying to adopt. It's a big decision, you know?" The husband, Mike, replied.

"In that case, could I ask what the crib is for?"

"Well, we heard your story from the neighbors and thought we could pitch in. Everyone said you enjoyed the woodworking, and we thought it would be a fine way to settle into the new neighborhood. But don't worry, Dixon, we'll give it to our friends. They are young parents."

Grandpa Dixon was touched by the couple's generosity and the caring of everyone living close to him. On his way home, he decided he would use the money from his latest order to host a big barbeque to celebrate all the support he received. The next day, the elderly gentleman called the local butcher and picked up enough food to feed a town. He also posted flyers everywhere.

Grandpa Dixon's Grand Get-together!

Enjoy a day with the family and your favorite crib maker this Saturday.

Bring something to drink and something to sit on.

By the time Saturday came around, Grandpa Dixon was so excited he couldn't keep still. The man ran around, double-checking everything. At the last minute, though, he realized he wouldn't have enough space on his grill to feed everyone, and a panic struck him. In a hurry, he called Mike and explained his situation.

"I'm so sorry to bother you about this, Micheal. I haven't organized something like this in ages, and it must have slipped my mind."

"It's not a problem, Dixon. I'm always willing to help you out. I believe Marcus, down the road from us, has a grill he could bring, and I'll talk to Margaret and Pete as well. If they all pitch in, we should have five big grills."

"That's wonderful. I don't know if I'm being too optimistic about the turnout, but I'd rather be prepared in any case."

"It's no trouble, Dixon. And I believe you'll be pleasantly surprised by the number of people," Mike said with a wink in his voice.

A few hours later, the first families showed up with cooler boxes and lawn chairs. Dixon greeted them on his front lawn and showed them to the backyard. The space quickly filled up, but he still only had one grill, and he was starting to worry. With his backyard buzzing, he barely heard the honk in front of his house.

"Dixon, when you turn 100, we'll have to do something extremely remarkable. I'll have to brainstorm for a while," Mike laughed.

He ran out, and there stood four pickup trucks, each with a magnificent grill in the back. With a broad smile, Mike got out and greeted his elderly neighbor warmly. The team of people untied the grills and carried them into the backyard among cheers from the gathered people.

The day went off without any more problems, and everyone enjoyed themselves. The children ran around, playing games, and Grandpa Dixon and his team of grillmasters laughed and joked while they served hot food. By the time the families had gone home, the crib maker's cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

"I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed getting to know you all, Micheal," he said to his friend.

"You've all been so kind the last year. After my grandson died, I really needed something to occupy my mind."

"You've helped all of us when we needed you. We're happy you're here."

The next day, the single mother next door, Sarah, came over with little Cherise. The mother thanked Grandpa Dixon for the previous day and stayed a while. They talked about everything, from Cherise's daycare to Sarah's work, and Grandpa Dixon felt like his granddaughter had visited him.

"The crib is still working wonderfully," Sarah laughed.

"I never even thanked you for what you did for me, my dear," the happy Grandpa said.

"What do you mean? You helped me when I was going through a tough time. I never really helped you."

"You did more than you know. At the time, I secluded myself. I didn't do any of the things I used to enjoy, and I was too afraid to reach out to the community. You helped me to get in touch with everyone, and they supported me. I owe you a lot."

At that, Sarah smiled and gave her kindly neighbor a hug. The two took their leave, but Sarah promised they would be back regularly to check up on him and ensure he was doing well. Afterward, the two came around almost every week, and sometimes they even brought him something to eat.

The years came and went, and the people from his neighborhood all stopped by regularly. Mike and Tracy made a point of coming over for a barbeque, and they adopted a little boy. Grandpa Dixon kept making cribs. When he felt his hands could no longer do the hard work, he started teaching the local kids woodworking.

As everyone grew older, Grandpa Dixon expected them to move away and forget about him, but they never did. The kids grew up and visited him regularly, and little Cherise declared at every chance she got that she loved her Grandpa, who lived next door.

Many cribs went into storage, but they were just waiting for a new generation of children to keep cozy at night. Grandpa Dixon spent his old age surrounded by people that loved him, and although he still missed his grandson, he now had a family unlike any other. When he reached 95, he was surrounded by loved ones.

"Dixon, when you turn 100, we'll have to do something extremely remarkable. I'll have to brainstorm for a while," Mike laughed.

"Micheal, if I reach 100, all I want is a nice barbeque with all of you," the elderly man smiled back.

A few years later, Grandpa Dixon's 100th birthday did come around. The old man mostly spent his days in his house by this time, but he was by no means infirm. A few days before his birthday, he heard a knock on his door and opened it to Mike's grinning face. He let his friend in, and they sat down.

"Did you think I'd forgotten about your birthday, Dixon?"

"Oh, don't fuss. I told you I don't want anything dramatic," Grandpa Dixon laughed.

"Are you still up for a barbeque? If you are, I've spoken to a few of the other boys, and we'd be happy to celebrate it here with you."

Grandpa Dixon took a minute to process this and replied, "You know what, I think I am. I won't be much help with the grill, though."

"Don't worry about anything. We have more than enough capable hands."

On the morning of the big day, Grandpa Dixon woke up to the sound of four trucks gathering outside his house. He threw on a robe and made his way downstairs. When he opened his door, Mike was already waiting for him. With a laugh, he let Mike and his old team of grillmasters into the yard.

Soon, everyone was gathered, but this time, the grill team was firmly planted on some chairs while the kids took over. Everyone stopped to congratulate Grandpa Dixon, and together, they revealed a beautiful rocking chair they had built to congratulate him on his birthday.

"Micheal, I must say, you have all made the last few years so wonderful. I think of you all as my family."

"We're happy to have you around, Grandpa Dixon," Mike said, smiling broadly.

What can we learn from this story?

• Treat your neighbors the way you want to be treated. After hearing Grandpa Dixon's story, the neighborhood banded together to support him. In turn, they gained a new friend and someone they could always rely on.
• Friends can get you out of tough situations. When Grandpa Dixon was at a low point, the people around him made him see the good side of life again. They helped him start doing woodwork again, and lifted his spirits.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a grandfather who looked after his grandson while his parents went through a messy divorce.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.