The story of Cody Shugart and his neighbor Mr. Chip is a very heartwarming one that definitely deserves to be shared.
Cody had no father growing up, but he knew since he was a little kid that he wanted to be a father himself.
However, not having a father figure in his life was difficult for Cody. Then the boy met his next-door neighbor, who he referred to as ‘Mr. Chip’. The neighbor, Milton West, was a retired chemical operator and spent most of his days at home.
Cody and Mr. Chip’s relationship grew over the years and the man took care of Cody as if he was his own child.
Growing up without a father was always difficult for me. But the Good Lord surrounded me with great men — Mr. Chip was one of them,” Cody posted on his Facebook page.
Milton West was my childhood next door neighbor. I knew him as Mr. Chip. He retired from DOW chemical as an operator. He has always been there for me since I was two years old.
The man taught him everything a father should teach his child.
Mr. Chip still remains one of the most important people in Cody’s life today.
“He constantly preached the value of an education, taught me how to take care of a yard. He taught me to see people for who they are, not what they look like. He taught me how to treat my mother like a saint and many other life lessons. His contributions to me becoming a good son, man, and father were huge.”
“I am forever grateful for God putting him in my life,” he added.
Years passed, and the little boy became a young adult who was ready to start his own family. Cody and his wife just had a baby boy together, Bob Wayne Shugart.
Of course, Mr. Chip and his wife Shirley were absolutely thrilled and the man wanted to take a picture with his ‘grandchild’.
“So this past May my wife and I had a little boy named Bob Wayne Shugart. When Mr. Chip and his wife Shirley saw him they fell in love with him. They babysit him sometimes and we go and visit when we can. The last time we were over there Mr. Chip said he wants to be called ‘POP.’ He says that’s his grandson.”
Of course, if Mr. Chip would receive a nickname, they needed a name for his wife Shirley as well.
“So we had to come up with a name for his wife. We decided on Lolli!”
The picture that Mr. Chip took with Cody’s son went viral with almost 330,000 likes.
Cody himself says that he reads something negative about race relations in the United States in the newspaper every day and wants to prove with this picture that love is truly blind.
“Every day I read something negative and how race relations are worse than ever. I disagree and I hope this is a positive loving message to many people. This is just one story in little ol’ Victoria, Texas. I’m sure there are millions of similar stories across the United States.”
The Shugart family couldn’t be any happier with their baby, and Mr. Chip and Shirley definitely don’t mind babysitting him once in a while. Cody says that he’s learned so much from his neighbor and father figure, and is incredibly thankful that Mr. Chip will also be a part of his son’s life.
“So we tell Bob Wayne we are going to see Lolli Pop! I’m grateful that Lolli and Pop will be part of my son’s life. If he learns half of the things from Mr. Chip as I did he will become a great son, man and father.”
Cody not only shared a beautiful picture but a beautiful and heartfelt message as well.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
So a lot of people like this picture. So I wanted to take a minute to tell the story. Milton West was my childhood next…
Posted by Cody Shugart onTuesday, April 3, 2018
