GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — As the sun begins to set on the corner of Lincoln Street in Grand Ledge, equipped with a Bluetooth speaker and a cigar in hand is Andy Spagnuolo and his loyal companion sitting on their front porch.
“I'm living life large," Spagnuolo said. "I just love to watch people drive by, and this is what I like to do with my dog.”
Watching and waving to passers by.
“You can see them in their vehicles, you know, when they turn and look at you, they just got this like angry or sad look on their face," Spagnuolo said. "As soon as I wave to them they smile."
It started three years ago when he couldn't leave his house.
“It was right after my health scare, and I couldn't leave my house for three months," Spagnuolo said. "I had to have a liver transplant, and if you have a liver transplant, your immune system is shot so you basically have to stay home.”
Spagnuolo turned his front porch into much more than just a place to escape. He turned it into a platform of kindness.
"The man upstairs granted me another life, or I also can say another human being, gave me another life," Spagnuolo said. "Let's take advantage of that and spread the cheer."
But most days, he noticed he was alone sitting on his front porch in a neighborhood full of them.
“I'm looking around, and I'm like there are some beautiful front porches on this row,” Spagnuolo said.
So he took to social media putting a post on the Grand Ledge Community Facebook page letting people know he was there if they needed a smile and a wave.
“I had no clue I'd get that kind of response," Spagnuolo said. “Each day, I would look and there'd be more and more you know there's 1500 likes or hearts and like 400 comments on there. Like all right, maybe when I run for mayor I'll use that for my slogan.”
He challenged the rest of the community to stop and enjoy life a little more.
“I think I have been seeing more people out since I put that challenge," Spagnuolo said. "It could be all in my mind, but I'm gonna say more people.”
Now, Spagnuolo said more people wave back some stopping for a conversation even if they've never met. But that's his new normal. Sitting, waving and reflecting on life from the other side of the street.
"With everything going on in the world, there's so much stress out there, and if I can put a smile on a person's face driving by, I'm happy with that," Spagnulo said.
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