An Illinois household celebrated their second Thanksgiving dinner this week with a U.S. Postal Service mail service who got here to their father’s support final yr after he fell whereas strolling the household’s canine.
The celebration was even sweeter this yr, with a shock proposal capping off the festivities.
Man and Marcia Miller of Aurora, Illinois, mentioned they have been more than pleased to host mail service Jaylen Lockhart and his household for a second yr and have been pleasantly shocked after they realized the mail service wished to suggest to girlfriend Sydney Rehm in entrance of them.
Jaylen Lockhart proposed to his girlfriend Sydney Rehm on Thanksgiving this yr.
Jaylen Lockhart Components
“That they had the champagne bottles ready,” Lockhart mentioned of the Miller household in an interview with “Good Morning America” on Thursday. “They greeted us with an amazing smile. And so it was one thing that was very embraced and liked.”
Lockhart mentioned he and Rehm have been collectively for nearly 10 years and have been highschool sweethearts.
When Lockhart proposed on Thursday, Rehm naturally mentioned sure.
“Sydney embodies what the Thanksgiving spirit is all about, and that is being grateful and giving,” Lockhart mentioned on Thanksgiving. “She’s given me the best reward ever: love. That is one thing that I cherish, and I’ll for the remainder of my life.”
Rehm instructed “GMA” on Thursday that it was one of many happiest days of her life.
Jaylen Lockhart along with his fiancée Sydney Rehm and their two-year-old daughter Lennyn.
Jaylen Lockhart Components
“We have skilled ups, downs, highs, lows, and I would not wish to do it with anybody else,” Rehm mentioned to “GMA” on Thursday.
Thursday’s Thanksgiving celebration was Lockhart and the Millers’ second vacation gathering, with the group marking one yr since Lockhart rushed to Man Miller’s support after witnessing him fall whereas out on a stroll.
In November 2024, Man Miller was strolling his canine Bentley when the canine all of the sudden took off, pulling him to the bottom.
“I had this deal with bag in my hand, and it fell out of my hand, and I bent over to select it up — and at that very same time, the canine lunged ahead as a result of he noticed a squirrel or one thing, and I misplaced my steadiness,” the 75-year-old recalled to “GMA” final yr. “I did not have time to place my palms out and I sort of conked my head on the grass.”
Lockhart, 27, instructed “GMA” beforehand he had been working as an alternative mail service that afternoon when he noticed Man Miller fall.
Household invitations mail service who aided father to ThanksgivingThe Miller household has lots to be glad about this yr, after the useful efforts of mail service Jaylen Lockhart, who helped Man Miller after he fell whereas strolling his canine.
Courtesy: USPS Nate Chavis
“I used to be on my mail route, my rearview mirror, and I noticed that Man was shedding his steadiness,” he mentioned. “He ultimately did fall and took his tumble.”
He continued, “I did a U-turn, and I bought to him as fast as I can, simply sort of ensuring he was OK.”
Man Miller, who has diabetes, mentioned he remembers struggling to get again up earlier than Lockhart caught as much as him. Lockhart recalled seeing “loads of blood all over the place” and mentioned he rapidly began alerting neighbors and speaking to Miller to attempt to get extra info.
“He gave me his handle, and I simply shot proper all the way down to his residence. And fortunately, his spouse answered the door, and [I] simply instructed her, ‘OK, let’s simply go get him some assist,'” Lockhart recounted.
Marcia Miller mentioned as soon as she was in a position to get to her husband and “bought the blood all taken care of, we realized, oh man, there’s abrasions, there’s scrapes, however there have been no deep cuts.”
“My daughter, who’s a nurse, checked him for a concussion and mentioned, ‘You understand, I feel we’re OK right here.’ So yeah, [we’re] very, very, very grateful,” she instructed “GMA” beforehand.
The Millers mentioned they have been capable of finding out who Lockhart was afterward and join with him and his household.
Jaylen Lockhart and Man Miller reunited after they first met on Nov. 16, 2024 when Lockhart rushed to Miller’s support after he fell exterior his residence in Aurora, Illinois.
USPS Nate Chavis
Lockhart mentioned that as a consequence of that probability encounter with Man Miller final yr, he has gained a brand new household. He mentioned he’ll at all times cherish his friendship with the 75-year-old man.
“I look as much as Man. I see he is an amazing husband; He is been an amazing dad, and an amazing mentor,” Lockhart mentioned on Thursday. “And I am simply blessed that we’re right here for an additional Thanksgiving, and blessed to have an amazing position mannequin.”
Lockhart was additionally honored final yr by the town of Aurora, which acknowledged his good deed by declaring his birthday, Aug. 29, Jaylen Lockhart Day.
ABC Information’ Sabina Ghebremedhin contributed to this report.
