After 66 years of marriage, Keith Davison lost his beloved wife, Evy, to cancer in April 2016. Her passing left the 94-year-old retired judge from Morris, Minnesota, overwhelmed by loneliness. The once lively home became oppressively silent, and Keith often found himself in tears, yearning for her presence.
Refusing to let loneliness consume him, Keith took an extraordinary step to bring joy and connection back into his life: he decided to build a swimming pool in his backyard. Completed in 2017, the 16-by-32-foot pool became a beacon of happiness, transforming his quiet home into a lively community hub. By July of that year, he opened the pool to the neighborhood children, creating an environment filled with laughter and delight.
Though Keith has no grandchildren of his own, his generous gesture has earned him a surrogate family in the neighborhood kids. One neighbor remarked that Keith had, in essence, adopted the children of the entire community. The pool has become a source of constant activity, with the sounds of splashing and cheerful voices replacing the once stifling silence.
While Keith treasures the rare moments of solitude by the pool, his greatest joy comes from witnessing the happiness it brings to others. His selfless act has not only eased his own loneliness but also strengthened the bonds within his community. By turning his grief into a gift for others, Keith Davison has found companionship and filled his days with purpose and fulfillment.
