HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — Willie Stone has spent over 40 years delivering more than just mail along the Pinedale Farms postal route in Henrico County — and CBS 6 Gives surprised him with a special delivery of his own.
"I love what I do, serving the community and serving the people," Stone said.
Watch: Beloved Henrico mail carrier returns to his route after beating cancer
Stone has made each stop on his route feel less like a transaction and more like a visit from a friend. Neighbors say the feeling is mutual.
"He's the mailman of the century," said Steve Samuel, a neighbor on Stone's route.
Carla Thompson, who also lives on Stone's route, said his presence has become something far more personal over the years.
"He is really part of the family, we just consider him that way," Thompson said.
For Stone, the bond runs both ways.
"The feeling is mutual because you get a bond after years of seeing people every day. Just greeting one another, and encouraging each other," Stone said.
Each stop, he said, is an opportunity to slow down and connect.
"Each hug shows that you care, and they can feel that. That's more than anything," Stone said.
And sometimes, he said, something as simple as a smile can change someone's day.
"Sometimes when people just see you smiling, you don't know what that does to somebody else — they might be having a bad day. Just see that you still care and that, through all the ups and downs, you still find a way to come and say, look, it's gonna be all right," Stone said.
But eight months ago, Stone found himself on the receiving end of devastating news. He became ill while on the job.
"I was at work and I got sick. I was throwing up, and I got weak, and I went to the hospital," Stone said.
Doctors delivered a diagnosis that would change everything.
"They said, 'we think it's cancer.' It came back, and it was cancer," Stone said. "Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ... a rare type of cancer."
Treatment kept Stone away from the route he loved for more than 6 months. Neighbor Adrienne Feldman watched him face the diagnosis with characteristic grace.
"He's just been through so much with being sick and going through chemo treatment, and yet he still has the most positive outlook and only words of positivity and light to share with everybody," Feldman said.
Stone drew strength from the support around him.
"Just don't give up, don't quit. They said, 'I'm giving you back what you give us,'" Stone said.
After more than 6 months away, Stone reached remission and rang a ceremonial bell before returning to the community that had been waiting for him. When he finally got back behind the wheel of his mail truck, the Pinedale Farms neighborhood was ready — mailbox after mailbox and yard sign after yard sign carried messages of welcome along his entire route.
"They touched me in a way that you can't even put into words," Stone said.
The outpouring of love moved Stone to tears.
"That's what we need out here more than anything," Stone said. "We still need to show one another that people still matter and care."
Stone said the CBS 6 surprise left him equally overwhelmed.
"Thank God for CBS. Love y'all. Thank you for everything. Much love, peace. We need more encouragement now than ever," Stone said.
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