After veteran mail carrier James Tate suffered a stroke in May, his community in Old Irving Park rallied around him to raise over $20,000 for his medical expenses. Tate, 53, has been serving the Northwest Side community for more than nine years and has become a beloved figure in the neighborhood.
A Community Comes Together
Tom and Kim, a couple from Old Irving Park, set up a GoFundMe for Tate after learning about his stroke. The initial goal was to raise $2,500, but the community’s response was overwhelming, with hundreds of neighbors contributing to the cause. Tom and Kim hand-delivered checks to Tate’s home, with the final donation totaling $20,000.
Tate, who is undergoing rehabilitation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, was touched by the community’s support. ‘I’ve been almost 10 years, and everybody around here knows me,’ he said. ‘All I’m doing is saying ‘Hi,’ being nice. You don’t realize the impact you make on people because I’m just being who I am.’
Sebastian Chavarria, 26, who grew up in the neighborhood, stopped by a porch party celebrating Tate’s recovery to show his support. ‘He’s the glue that holds the neighborhood together, he sees everyone’s business,’ Chavarria said.
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
