91-year-old woman stands at busy intersection every day to remind us to “be kind”
By Paul Burton
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FRAMINGHAM, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A 91-year-old woman is taking a stand in her community in Massachusetts, with a simple, heartfelt sign.
Sunny the sign holder Nearly every weekday for the last six years, “Sunny,” as she likes to be called, has been standing at the busy intersection of Water Street and Edgell Road in Framingham during the morning rush hour.
She holds a homemade sign that says, “Say no to racism. Be kind. Justice for all.”
She doesn’t shout. She doesn’t cheer. And she certainly doesn’t want to draw attention to herself. Instead, it’s about her sign and more importantly, the message behind it.
“I’m holding the sign kind of as a reminder to people. Reminding them to be kind, say no to racism and how important justice is,” she told WBZ-TV.
The honks of support from passing drivers are constant.
“It’s very humbling. Again, it isn’t me, I am just the sign holder. The reoccurring words I hear from different people, you’ll never know how much this means to me. And then they cry or they hug,” Sunny said.
Barbara Harting has witnessed Sunny holding the sign for six years. “She’s just heroic, reminding us all of what we’re supposed to be doing,” Harting told WBZ.
Sunny begins her day at 5 a.m. She’s at the intersection by 7:30 a.m. and stands with the sign for at least two-and-a-half hours, no matter the weather.
“If the traffic is heavy and my legs are still erect, then I stay a little bit longer. I go home and collapse,” she said.
Sunny told WBZ it’s her strong faith in God that inspires her.
“I am old. I’m achy. The selfish part of me would love to just be home. But I feel very privileged to see people’s face light up,” she said.
“I had a pipe bomb thrown at me” But she admits not everyone is kind.
“I see such cruelty and I see It growing. I’m finding it’s a scary world. Some angry people have tried to follow me home. I had a pipe bomb thrown at me,” she said.
As for how long she plans to do this, she said, “That’s up to God. I figured he’s not through with me yet.”
From the hellos, to the hugs,to the honks, Sunny is doing her best to make people who pass her by feel the same.
“Be kind. Be good to one another. We’re all in this together,” Sunny said with a smile.
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