When Oliver Davis goes to visit his great-grandmother at Westchester Village of Lenexa, he comes bearing flowers — dozens and dozens of flowers.
After all, she’s not the only resident at the Kansas community who appreciates a beautiful rose.
The 6-year-old is on a campaign of kindness, having delivered flowers and hugs to seven communities over the last year. On each visit, he pulls up to the front door on a tot-sized police motorcycle sporting a navy blue police uniform.
“He believes he is a real policeman, and his job right now is to make people happy and smile,” said his mom, Brandi. “When we went to the first nursing home, he asked me if it was OK to give them a hug. I said, “Absolutely.’ He gives each resident a flower, police ticket and hug! He got in the car after the last one and said, ‘That made me feel so good.’ “
Courtney O’Connor, executive director at Westchester, said her 110 residents appreciate the gesture. She appreciates that Oliver is willing to spend time with all of them.
“When you get back into our healthcare unit, there’s a fair number of people with cognitive and physical disabilities,” O’Connor said. “For kids, it can be scary to interact with those folks because they’re different. Oliver is not scared. He gets right in there. He doesn’t miss a single person.”
Recent video captured by Brandi Davis shows Oliver embracing an older man in the dining area. The resident is moved to tears, wrapping Oliver in a bear hug.
Visitors are always welcome, O’Connor said. For residents far away from grandchildren — or those whose grandchildren are now adults — engaging with a child for even a few minutes can feel like a walk back in time.
So far, Oliver has visited Westchester, Brighton Gardens of Prairie Village, The Forum at Overland Park, Atriums Senior Living Community, Brookdale of Leawood and Homestead of Leawood-Today. Last month, his visit to Westchester landed him a segment on Good Morning America.
For their trouble, each resident gets to keep their flower and a ticket charging them with being “too cute.”
And Oliver, he gets that warm feeling that comes from making others happy — not to mention sometimes a face full of lipstick kisses.
