Upworthy · 12 hours ago

Young Woman Surprises 87-year-old Neighbor Who Lives Alone by Paying Off His Hearing Aid Bill

When 28-year-old Julissa Gomez met her elderly neighbor Delmar Harter a decade ago, their connection began with simple gestures-rides to church, shared meals-but deepened into something far more profound after her father's death in 2020, when Delmar showed up for her family in their darkest moment. Now 87 and living alone, with no spouse and family scattered across distant states, Delmar has become inseparable from the Gomez family, so much so that when Julissa and Delmar co-authored a children's book about their unlikely friendship, the proceeds allowed her to surprise him with news that brought him to tears: his hearing aids were paid off. "He's definitely not just our neighbor anymore, he's family," Julissa says, a reminder that kindness doesn't have to be grand to transform a life-sometimes it simply means showing up, especially when someone feels most alone.