Neighbors lend a shovel in time of need

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

AURORA — Robert Strickland was overwhelmed to wake up Wednesday morning and find his driveway had already been shoveled clear of the foot-plus of snow that fell during Tuesday night’s snowstorm.

The 80-year-old Smith Street resident said it’s been a tough year — he just got out of the hospital following an operation related to his lung cancer.

Much to Strickland’s surprise, his neighbor, Ron Nichols, a 30-year resident of the street, had already shoveled the driveway.

“I’m not supposed to do any shoveling, although I was going to try,” Strickland said. “The driveway had 4-1/2 feet of snow and my neighbors shoveled it all. There’s no way I could have accomplished that myself.”

Nichols said Strickland’s driveway was at the top of his to-do list Wednesday morning,

“I look out for him; we have each other’s backs,” Nichols said. “There was no way I was going to let him shovel his own driveway.”

Nichols and his son also shoveled a few other neighbors’ driveways. When residents offered money, he refused.

“God’s given me this gift,” he said of his ability to shovel.

Strickland said he was very thankful that his neighbor thought of him in this time of need.

“I think they are wonderful,” Strickland said.