A good deed by a group of kids in Delaware County over the weekend didn't go unnoticed, and praise for the boys is spreading on social media.
On Sunday, five boys from Ridley Park decided to take it upon themselves to clean up an elderly neighbor's yard.
Brothers Andrew and Matthew Connolly joined Declan and Aiden Kiely and friend John Hosbach on Sunday afternoon, picking up their rakes and getting to work clearing fallen leaves from the man's front yard. Joe Connolly, father to two of the boys, said the man whose yard they raked, whom he estimated to be about 90, is "like another grandfather" to kids in the neighborhood. He recently suffered an injury during a fall and has been in a rehab facility for some time, Joe said.
"It was really kind of cool as a parent to see it," Joe said. "I asked my son, 'What made you do that?' He said, 'He couldn't do it himself.'"
Andrew and Matthew are 11 and 8, respectively; Declan and Aiden are 9 and 7, and John is 11. Joe said he and other parents were proud to watch the boys come together to help the neighbor, who also recently lost his wife.
Joe's wife, Fran, snapped a photo of the boys and Joe shared it on Facebook. By Monday, the photo was picked up by the Ridley Good News Campaign page and garnered more than 400 "likes" and dozens of comments.
"It was an absolutely amazing feeling to know that your kids are actually doing the right thing without being prompted," Joe Connolly said. He said his kids play sports, but their achievements in those -- although proud moments -- were nothing like seeing them care for their neighbor.
"This tops it all," the father said.
