Upbeat
humanity

78-year-old George Doxtader has given a thumbs-up from the same Michigan street corner every day for ten years

George Doxtader is 78, lives in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, and for ten years has taken the same seat at the corner of State and Main to greet passing drivers with a thumbs-up — often out there by 4 a.m. Two major strokes 35 years ago left him with paralysis on his right side and difficulty speaking, so he waves and greets, and crochets blankets and pictures with his left hand when he's not at his bench. Gerontologist Sam Cradduck, who profiled him for 'Aging Untold,' says Doxtader found a way to connect with his community and give people a bright light in their day. Ten years of showing up — one small gesture, repeated until it became a landmark.

The upbeat factorJoy you can count on, four times an hour, from a bench in Eaton Rapids.
✓ Verified · WVLT (Gray Media) · 2026-10-05 · USA
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