(WSVN) - His house was too quiet after his wife of 66 years passed away. To help himself cope with the loss of his long-time love, the 94-year-old World War II veteran decided to invite over some company – his whole town!
Keith Davison, a retired judge in Morris, Minnesota, decided to install a large pool in his home’s backyard for the children and family in his small town as a way to help fill the lonely days without his wife, Evy.
“I had a fairytale life, and after my wife died, that ended,” he said in an interview with People Magazine. “You get used to having a person there to enjoy, and now this doggone place is so quiet.”
Davison has three grown children, but no grandkids. So he decided that his home needed to be filled with laughter once more, this time bringing happiness to both Davison and his neighbors.
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“Every morning they wake up and go, ‘Can we go to neighbor Keith’s pool today?'” one parent told Inside Edition, saying it “has definitely uplifted our neighborhood.”
“He has just been an amazing neighbor and he just loves children,” neighbor Jaime Mundal said. “He’s kind of adopted all the neighborhood kids.”
Ever since Davison opened the 32-foot pool in his backyard, kids have been lining up to take a dip. All he asks is that a parent or guardian come along for supervision.
“He’s a really good person,” one of the children said. “I’m glad he invited us. This is just awesome.”
Davison says the gratitude he’s received from the kids has given him a renewed purpose, and he’s glad he can bring joy to his town.
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