A stranger and a widower celebrated the dead wife's birthday after a chance meeting at a suburban Indianapolis grocery store.
Gregory Johnson said in a Facebook post that he struck up a conversation with an elderly man on an electric scooter named Jim at his local Kroger supermarket in Greenwood after noticing that he was purchasing roses and birthday cake, CBS News reported.
"He had a dozen roses and a big birthday cake in his cart," Johnson said. "I made the comment, 'It looks like you've got a big night planned.' He glanced up at me with the saddest eyes I believe I've ever seen and told me his story."
Jim's wife Gloria had died five years before, but Jim has continued to honor her by celebrating each of her birthdays since by putting the roses on the table at home and sharing a slice of cake with his wife of 53 years.
"My heart just broke," Johnson told CBS News. "I was just devastated, and he looked completely broken. And I knew that I wanted to do whatever I could in that moment to take his mind off of his heartbreak. So I started asking him questions about their life together and I believe his reminiscing made him feel better."
Johnson said the conversation carried on for 90 minutes, and Jim invited Johnson back to his home to share the birthday cake and more memories.
"Hopefully I made that little old man's night a tad bit better because he certainly made mine one of the best I've had in a long time," Johnson said.
The story warmed the hearts of many on social media.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.