Any time a new baby enters the world it’s “a good day in the neighborhood,” but one hospital took things a big step further in honor of World Kindness Day.
World Kindness Day is November 13th, and it’s intended to highlight good deeds in our community and focus on the positive power of kindness. UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in Pittsburgh decided to pay tribute to one of their city’s most famously-kind former citizens, Fred Rogers, and they did so in the most adorable way possible.
Viewers of the long-running PBS show “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” may remember that Mr. Rogers started every show by putting on his iconic red cardigan. On World Kindness Day, UPMC staff members wore special tee shirts designed to look like Mr. Rogers’s sweater and tie. Not only that, but one resourceful nurse on staff hand-knitted dozens of adorable red sweaters and booties so that every newborn infant in the nursery could represent Mr. Rogers too!
The hospital got the idea to wear red cardigans after local radio station WQED declared World Kindness Day “Cardigan Day,” a day to celebrate the life of the Pittsburgh-native and beloved television personality. “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” was filmed right there at the WQED studios and the show celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Although Mr. Rogers himself passed away in 2003, his widow Joanne Byrd was able to drop by the hospital to see that the legacy of kindness her husband left behind is still alive and well. As soon as she saw the babies dressed in their sweet cardigans her face lit up with joy!
After the hospital shared photos of the babies in their sweaters the post went viral. No one can get over how absolutely adorable these babies look in their Mr. Rogers sweaters! “Thank you for all the hard work put into the cardigans & sneakers for the newborns,” wrote one Facebook reader. “The lady who did these is a “WONDERFUL NEIGHBOR.” Thank you for your kindness.”
“The picture of Mrs. Rogers in the doorway looking at all those babies with her hands clasped. Well, I lost it,” wrote another reader. “This old woman in a little town in Canada felt her heart grow.”
I think we all felt our hearts grow a bit too!
What a wonderful tribute to a man who touched so many lives. This is certainly a fitting tribute to a day devoted to loving your neighbors! Great job to the nurse who did the knitting and all of the other staffers for making this day just a little bit brighter.