100-year-old woman cries when garbage man delivers birthday cake.
I don’t know about you, but as I get older, I feel like society has forgotten some good things.
Respect is often mentioned. Respect for parents, teachers, police, nurses, and farmers.
I miss community spirit and love most from my childhood. I would describe it as the feeling that people in a city, small town, or village almost become one big family.
I could name every street resident when I was young. Every house on the street would welcome me. I waved to the milk and mailmen and played outside until dark knowing that all the adults in my parent’s neighborhood would watch out for me.
Sadly, such close communities are dying out.
Stories like this warm my soul.
Ben Bird has been a Midlands, UK, garbageman for years. He interacts with the public because he visits the same houses and sees the same people.
He always spent extra time talking to one person.
Mercy Ballard was Ben’s highlight of the week.
Ben took Mercy’s garbage every Thursday, and they started talking. An unexpected friendship began.
“Where’s my favorite lady?” Mercy would answer Ben’s request.
“I empty the bin, come back up, and we have 10 minutes, don’t we, just to talk,” he said.
Mercy mentioned her 90s during a “talk.” Ben promised to sing her Happy Birthday on her 100th birthday.
The pair kept meeting weekly for years. Mercy was healthy and announced her 100th birthday.
Ben remembered his promise to Mercy. He also decided to surprise her.
Ben bought Mercy a cake from a local bakery on her 100th birthday. He decorated it with candles for Mercy’s huge milestone!
Mercy woke up to Ben and several of his coworkers with the cake on her birthday. They sang Happy Birthday as she greeted them outside.
Mercy was moved to tears.
Thankfully, one of Ben’s garbage men caught the tear-jerking gesture on film. The clip became viral on YouTube, garnering over four million views!
Ben’s gesture was so well-received that TV teams visited Mercy’s house to interview them on her sofa. Queen Elizabeth sent the 100-year-old a birthday card.
Mercy told ITV News: “There ain’t many young males who takes interest in an old woman. He’s really sweet.”
Watch Mercy and Ben’s interview below: