A Lonely 4 Year Old's Daily Wave Brought an Entire Neighborhood Together

July 12, 2026

What began as one little boy waving at strangers has grown into something much bigger. A neighborhood that barely knew one another has become a close knit community, all thanks to the simple kindness of a 4 year old boy who just wanted someone to say hello.

Roman Butzlaff / CBS News

Every day, Roman Butzlaff can be found outside his home in Concord, North Carolina, greeting anyone who passes by with a cheerful wave and a friendly "hey."

"He wakes up every day excited to say 'hi' to somebody. That's the first thing he wants to do," his mother, Anna Butzlaff, told CBS News.

Behind Roman's bright smile, however, was a child who had been feeling lonely. About a year earlier, his parents had separated, his father had moved to Florida, and his grandparents lived in another state.

Then something beautiful happened.

One of Roman's neighbors, Wade Fulgum, decided to walk across the street and introduce himself to the little boy who never stopped waving. Before long, they were spending time together. Other neighbors soon joined in, stopping to chat with Roman and even racing him down the street for fun.

At first, Anna admitted she wasn't quite sure what to think.

"I didn't really know how to take it," she said. "I just saw that my son was happy."

As Roman's friendships grew, he wanted his neighbors to be part of every milestone in his life. He invited them to his soccer, basketball, and baseball games. They came to his swimming lessons and even attended his preschool open house.

When his birthday arrived, the guest list was easy.

His senior citizen neighbors were the people he wanted there most.

"They've made such an impact on him," Anna said. "They are really special people to him."

Perhaps even more remarkable is what Roman created for everyone else.

His simple habit of greeting people has connected about a dozen neighbors who say they probably never would have known each other otherwise.

One neighbor summed it up perfectly: "Look at what this little kid has built."

Another couldn't help but imagine a world inspired by Roman's example.

"If the world was like this child, what an awesome, awesome place it would be."