A homeless man with a chicken in his hands: how Christmas Eve turned into 45 years of family.

According to ТСН: In 1975, a young couple from Cardiff decided to help a homeless man when he knocked on their door with a bag of trash and a frozen chicken. No one could have imagined that this act would mark the beginning of a 45-year extraordinary story of coexistence.

On December 23, the couple, Rob and Diana Parsons, were preparing for Christmas when a stranger came to their door. It was Ronnie Lockwood, whom Rob had sometimes seen at Sunday School. When Rob asked about the chicken, Ronnie replied: 'Someone gave it to me for Christmas.' Then Rob, not knowing why, said:

'Come in'

Rob was 27 and Diana was 26 at the time. They couldn’t leave Ronnie, who had autism, alone. The couple cooked the chicken, allowed him to wash up, and invited him to stay for the holiday days.

The story of Ronnie Lockwood

Today, Rob is 77, and Diana is 76. When Ronnie first came to them, he was nearly 30. He lived in Cardiff and had been homeless since he was 15 years old. The couple prepared Christmas gifts for him to make him feel like a welcomed guest.

Diana recalls how Ronnie cried upon receiving gifts, as he had never felt such love. Initially, they hoped Ronnie would stay just until December 26, but in the end, they couldn’t let him go.

They were told that Ronnie needed an address to get a job, but first, he needed a job to get an address. The couple realized that this situation was a vicious circle for many homeless people they encountered.

Ronnie went into a care home at the age of 8, and by 11, he had vanished from Cardiff. At 15, he was returned to the city but effectively to 'nowhere.'

Ronnie's life with the family

At first, Ronnie acted shyly: he had difficulty establishing eye contact, and conversation didn’t flow. However, over time, the couple got to know and love him. Ronnie found work as a bin man and received new clothes.

Rob drove him to work, and Ronnie always laughed that a lawyer was giving him a lift. Ronnie had his daily rituals that the couple got used to. For instance, he unloaded the dishwasher every morning, and Rob pretended to be surprised.

Ronnie also helped in the church, where he collected donations for the homeless; once he donated his shoes to a homeless man. Diana recalled that he was kind and generous.

Challenges and tough times

One of the hardest times for the family was Diana’s illness. Ronnie amazed them all by helping her around the house and taking care of the children.

Despite all the hardships, the couple feels they cannot imagine their life without Ronnie.

'Ronnie enriched our lives in many ways'

Ronnie passed away in 2020 at the age of 75 after a stroke. The couple still mourns him. There was a limited number of attendees at his funeral, but they received many letters of condolence. After his death, a new welfare center in Cardiff was named in his honor – Lockwood House.

Rob noted that

'Ronnie brought real depth and fulfillment to our lives'

This story reflects the incredible power of humanity and compassion. Despite the challenges that accompanied their journey, Rob and Diana demonstrated how selfless help can change lives. Their bond with Ronnie will remain in memory as an example of true friendship and support.