Moving to a new place to live can be truly exciting especially when it’s your first bought home but also a bit scary without knowing the neighborhood well. Yet, a delicious chocolate cake can always help to ease some worries.

This 98-year-old man decided to make a sweet gesture to his new neighbors and instantly melted hearts online.

More info: Kelly McDuff

Kelly McDuff had just moved to a new home with her fiancé and an unexpected 98-year-old neighbor’s gesture left her in tears

Image credits: Kelly McDuff

Image credits: Kelly McDuff

Image credits: Kelly McDuff

Kelly McDuff and her fiancé Garrison had just bought a new home in Richardson, Texas and instantly went viral after the woman shared a heartwarming video of her 98-year-old neighbor bringing a cake to welcome the couple to the area.

Kelly published the video on TikTok. She can be seen overwhelmed with emotions as she shows a plate with a chocolate cake covered with white frosting before turning the camera up to her window, where the neighbor who dropped off the sweet surprise can be seen slowly walking back to his home.

“I had just gotten home and he came and rang my doorbell a few minutes after. He must’ve seen me pull in,” the woman shared.

Once Kelly opened the door, she saw an elderly man holding a beautiful cake with a note.

“It was such a sweet gesture. He introduced himself and welcomed me to the neighborhood hoping we love it here as much as he has,” Kelly said. “He’s been in his house for 52 years and his stepdaughter now lives with him,” she added.

The day after, Kelly surprised the elderly neighbor with her lemon pie

Image credits: SHVETS production

Image credits: SHVETS production

Image credits: Jo Macabre

The neighbor’s kindness reminded the woman of her childhood: “That was the norm for my family in Baton Rouge! If someone new moved in, we’d bring them something. People think it’s really rare but I honestly think there’s more people out there like that than we realize. It’s just not recorded on video,” she said.

The 98-year-old neighbor’s surprise was so sincere and so beautiful that Kelly decided to return the favor and get to know him better by making a lemon pie.

On the other recorded video, we cannot see the man yet could hear him saying in the background: “Bless you, sweetheart, I love lemon pie. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m just delighted you did.”

After coming back home, Kelly shared: “I have no words. I am on cloud nine and will be recovering the rest of the week.” The woman hopes that her shared videos will spread positivity and that people will appreciate their neighbors more.

“Go meet your neighbor. Go knock on their door, bring them some cookies,” she said.

Image credits: Meraki Photos

While Kelly and her 98-year-old neighbor exchanged cakes, there are plenty of different ways how people can welcome each other.

According to Huffpost, in India it is quite common to bring vegetarian treats, in France – a snack of cheese and cured sausages, which is called ‘l’apéritif’ or ‘l’apéro’, in Kenya – a three-legged stool and a traditional Luo oxtail fly whisk, in Germany people are often offering gifts decorated with a rooster, which will protect a new home.

In 2018, Pew Research Center did a little survey about how Americans interact with their neighbors and it turned out that people at the ages 65 and older are more likely to know most of their neighbors while adults under 30 usually don’t know any of them. Yet interestingly enough, the interaction with neighbors would happen more in having face-to-face conversations (20%) than over the phone or by email or text message (7%).

The survey also unveiled that about two-thirds of Americans who know at least few of their neighbors (66%) would feel comfortable asking to leave their home keys with them in case of an emergency.

Image credits: Jessica Bryant

Image credits: Pew Research Center

Image credits: Pew Research Center

“Along with the cake, friendship is one of the sweetest things,” says one of Charlie Mackesy’s quotes, and I think that Kelly McDuff and her 98-year-old neighbor were lucky enough to get them both. 

Kindness is always spreading sunshine into people’s hearts no matter the weather and when it comes along with the most delicious cake, what could be better?

People on the internet shared their own experiences about welcoming new neighbors

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