Lifted by Love

Some stories stay with you because of the strength behind them. Carol’s is one of those stories.

We met Carol during a Petal It Forward delivery to St. Catherine’s South. She greeted us with a warm smile and quickly began sharing her life with us. It didn’t take long to notice a steady theme woven throughout her story: determination, joy and a deep commitment to living fully.

Carol has not been able to walk her entire life, but she has never let it define her or limit what she wanted from life. When she was young, her mother was determined that she would attend public school in West Fargo. At the time, the schools were not accessible, and Carol was told she would need to attend a school in Jamestown, more than 90 miles away from her family.

Her mother refused to accept that outcome. She worked closely with the local school to make it possible for Carol to learn alongside her peers in her hometown.

That’s where Carol met John, a classmate and football player who stepped up in a remarkable way. Each day, he physically carried Carol up and down the stairs so she could get to class and receive her education alongside other kids her age. With her mother’s persistence and John’s daily support, Carol was able to fully participate in school. She told us those years made her feel included, valued and capable.

Life moved forward. Carol married and built a fulfilling life rich with meaningful connections and experiences. Years later, she moved into St. Catherine’s South and discovered that John — the person who had carried her all those years ago — now lived there as well. The young man who once carried her to class was again part of her daily life. Carol smiled as she said, “He lifted me up all those years, and now it’s my turn to lift him up.” She now shares encouraging words and stories with John and looks for ways to bring joy to his life, just as he once did for hers.

Carol is a natural conversationalist with a gift for drawing people in. That same spirit of connection shaped other relationships throughout her life.

For years, a bus driver provided Carol’s transportation. Over time, routine rides turned into conversation and friendship. When his wife was expecting their first child, he asked Carol for baby name suggestions. She suggested Joshua, and she was delighted when the couple chose the name she recommended.

A few years later, they were expecting again. “Well, he didn’t ask me what to name this baby,” Carol shared with a grin.

After the baby was born, they invited her to the hospital. They placed the newborn in her arms and said, “Carol, meet baby Carol.”

She smiled as she told the story, the memory still fresh — as vivid as the day she first held her namesake in her arms.

From school hallways to bus rides to the senior living community she now calls home, Carol has built a life rich with relationships. She has never allowed physical limitations to define her world. Instead, she has filled it with connection, kindness and meaningful impact. It is clear she has shaped the lives of many people simply by showing up as herself.

Visits like these remind us that our mission is about more than flowers. They are simply the beautiful beginning — an invitation into moments of deep mattering and belonging. The real gift is the chance to listen, to learn and to honor lives that continue to lift others.

We are so grateful we had the opportunity to spend time with Carol and hear her story.