Family 'adopts' kind 82-year-old widowed neighbor as their beloved grandfather: 'He brings joy'

There's a unique and heartwarming aspect to curating our own family. While individuals often select their friends, partners, or adopted children, a family of seven from Rhode Island went a step further and wholeheartedly embraced the addition of a grandfather into their fold. Sharaine Caraballo and her husband Wilson were new to their Texas neighborhood when 82-year-old Paul Callahan came to their door with a ladder to help them set up their house, according to My Modern Met. The couple, who have five children, soon learned that a retired Texas Instruments manager, Callahan was a widower, having lost his wife only six months before the Caraballos moved in.

Moved by his generosity, the family promptly "adopted" him and invited him to stay with them a few times. The elderly man goes out of his way to make them feel at ease, per the Good News Network. As much as Callahan has supported the family, Sharaine believes her relatives played a significant part in the months following his wife's death. They quickly became a huge part of his life. In exchange, they discovered a grandfather whom their children adored

The youngsters now adore their elderly neighbor, who is invited to every family dinner, barbeque and holiday event. "The kids run up to him like that's their grandfather," shared Sharaine with USA TODAY. "Paul is definitely a family member. He's no longer considered a neighbor."

The Caraballos were initially worried about not being able to connect with their neighbors. "Our biggest fear moving into a new neighborhood was, 'What if our neighbors don't like us?' What if, because we have a lot of kids, they make a lot of noise and we come from a big family, so what if there's any conflict with the neighbors?" said Sharaine. "We're the only Black family in our neighborhood."

"My family and I purchased our home last February. My biggest fear was not knowing how our neighbors are (I watch a lot of “neighbor war” shows). God blessed my family with a neighbor like Paul. He comes over and hangs out with our family. Educated my husband on different tools. Leaves donuts every Saturday for the kids. Bought the kids' bags full of brand-new socks, gloves and hats for the winter. Comes to the cookouts in the summer and just brings overall joy to our family. My family and I adopted him as 'Uncle Paul.' There are definitely good neighbors out here but we got the best one," Sharaine shared in an appreciation post on Instagram.

She claims that her nervousness vanished the moment she met the neighbors, particularly Callahan. He arrived with a ladder and advised them on how to fix items around their recently purchased home. Sharaine's family began connecting with Callahan daily after discovering that his wife had recently died. From then, the relationship grew. He now spends practically every day at home, entertaining the youngsters and telling them stories about his life. "You get many chances to talk to people. If you don't take a chance, you may miss a friend," said Callahan. "It doesn't hurt to be nice. That's the other thing, it costs you nothing, but a lot of times, you get a better return."