1/17/2017 DANBURY – One afternoon in mid-December,Meghan Henriques-Parker visited with her grandfather at his Bethel nursing home. Jim Gaboardi’s dementia was getting worse, and the man who had once been so gregarious had barely said anything during their lunch.
Then one of the workers began passing out residents’ mail.
Gaboardi, who had worked for decades as a mailman in Danbury, turned to Henriques-Parker and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve received any mail.”
Henriques-Parker began to cry. She decided that Gaboardi, who turned 89 last week, would not go another day without getting mail.
She posted on Facebook, asking friends and family to send him a Christmas card.
“Now, let’s deliver mail to a man who delivered it to us for so many years,” she wrote.
Henriques-Parker expected a few friends to send cards. But after more than 100 people shared her post, mail began streaming in from across the country.
Many cards include photos of senders and their families. Some are from Gaboardi’s old customers, who remember him from when they were children.
“People were writing, ‘Mr. Gaboardi, you used to be my postman. I moved to Virginia and I’ll never forget you,’” Henriques-Parker said. “Some letters were so personal. You don’t realize the impact that someone has on your life.”
source: Former Danbury postman ‘inspired’ by hundreds of letters from across country
This gentleman reminds me of my great grandpa . He was one of the first carriers at
a nearby town. I used to walk with him to get the mail. He would stop and buy a
couple of cigars, and candy for me. I think he would be proud that was a carrier like
him, but would roll in his grave to see how USPS has destroyed the place.
now that the story is online…..let’s see if PMG Muffin IOD Meghan sends him a card……don’t hold your breath!