Texas couple Rachel and Raymond Villasenor lost their son Joseph, a long serving Air Force veteran, in a car accident when he was only 36 years old. One day as they were visiting his grave, they were astounded to see that the unrelenting sun had dried up all the grass and turned it brown… except for Joseph’s grave. There, the grass was green and fresh. The parents couldn’t explain what they were seeing. But then a secret came to light.
Widower Jake Reissig had lost his wife a year ago and visited her grave daily. The 86-year-old brought her fresh roses from their garden, told her about his day, and — in times of drought — watered her grave twice a day. Then one day he noticed a young woman kneeling at a grave every day and weeping bitterly. It was Joseph’s sister. The old man went over to her to console her and to listen to her story of loss. After she had left the cemetery, Jake made a resolution: he would water the young man’s grave to honor his service and his life that was taken much too young.
And so there were now two graves in the cemetery that were green with hope and gleamed with life. When Joseph’s parents Rachel and Raymond learned that they could thank the 86-year-old widower for this blessing, they embraced him in their arms. «It was just incredible to know that a stranger would take that much time and care for our son who he didn’t even know,» Rachel said with tears in her eyes. What a beautiful gesture from an old man with a heart of gold!
