Category Archives: Neighborhood Watch

Hearts of ice in Milton? UPDATED

“I wasn’t sure where to go with this, so I thought I would bring it to our Front Porch Forum. Around 7:30am this morning, my 87-year-old mother fell on the ice while walking out to get her newspaper. I was saddened and disheartened when she later informed me that as she was laying in her bathrobe at the end of her driveway on Ellison Street unable to get up and she watched five cars drive by her. I was then angry and disgusted when I found out that her neighbor, a lovely older woman, saw her, and came out to help and tried waving down three cars for help… and all drove past… My mother’s in the ICU tonight, but she’s in good spirits and I’m sure that she’ll be alright. I feel worse for those poor lost souls who drove by. Shame on you.”
• Janet, Milton FPF, yesterday

“I am very sorry to hear about your mother and her ordeal. I’m glad that her neighbor was able to get her assistance. I think this should be a lesson to us all to slow down and not be so preoccupied in our own worlds… I, for one, have had my eyes opened by your FPF posting and will try to be more vigilant. I pray your mother continues on the road to recovery.”
• Vickie, Milton FPF, today

“I am so sorry to hear this. I sincerely hope that this is not representative of Milton residents, of which I am one. Healing wishes to your mother.”
• James, Milton FPF, today

“Wow – that is SO awful!    I’m so very sorry your Mom and her neighbor had to go through that!   You’re right – shame on them!   I hope your Mom is soon out of the hospital!”
• Diane, Milton FPF, today

When people ask “do we really need a service like Front Porch Forum?” I’ll point them to this story and I’ll respond “Yes, we do!”  Each community in Vermont needs more efforts to increase connection between neighbors and build community so that this kind of thing won’t happen again.

UPDATE:

“Quick update regarding my mother who fell on the ice… Five people drove by her, but more then double that amount responded to my post and sent thoughts and well wishes. These messages meant so much to her. Thank you. She left the ICU last night and hopes to discharge any day. My mom usually goes for a walk around Milton every morning and every afternoon… Feel free to wave and say hello. She’s feeling so much better about our community. Thank you for that.”
• Janet, Milton FPF

“Glad to be a Vermonter, where good neighbors are the rule rather than the exception”

“I received a large number of responses to my ‘looking for a house’ posting. I am in the process of reading each one and plan on thanking the senders individually. But in case someone falls through the cracks of my responding, I want to offer this public THANK YOU. I love how responsive and supportive the community is. It’s things like this — along with reading about a person losing her credit card AND someone turning that same credit card into the police station in that same FPF issue — that make me glad to be a Vermonter, where good neighbors are the rule rather than the exception.”
• JD, Montpelier FPF