When he was 108-years-old, a man met his great-great-grandson. The memorable moment meant the world to him, and he was honored to find out the baby was named after him.
In 2018 Esmond Allcock was well on his way to being Canada’s oldest resident. Born in 1910, the husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather lived a long and full life. His family was important to him, and he tried to stay in contact with everyone.
Jenna Lehne named her son Esmond in honor of her great-grandfather. He was a constant presence in her life for three decades. While few children are privileged enough to meet their older relatives, baby Esmond had the opportunity.
BABY WAS NAMED AFTER HIM
Lehne remembered how her great-grandfather helped her crawl as she told him she wanted to go “Walk Walk.” When he heard the news that she was expecting her first child, he shared it with his friends and family. He was proud and excited.
When she told him she was expecting another son, he mentioned something unexpected. He told his wife none of his 71 descendants were named after him. Lehne and her husband instantly decided their second son would be his namesake.
Esmond Allcock says the secret to living 108 years is to select the proper spouse: https://t.co/Ict0M4KJbN #yqr #sask #yxe #skhealth #cdnhealth #happywifehappylife pic.twitter.com/fggiEMc5h3
— CBC Saskatchewan (@CBCSask) January 30, 2018
A VERY SPECIAL MOMENT
Lehne took the newborn to meet her great-grandfather as soon as she was able. The encounter didn’t go as planned. She said: “When we arrived, he wasn’t sure who I was. He knew who my grandparents were, but he wasn’t too sure about me.”
Despite this, he couldn’t take his eyes of baby Esmond and enjoyed holding the little one in his arms. In the middle of their visit, he suddenly recalled that Lehne was the little girl he used to “Walk Walk” with. It was a special moment for her.
Please join us in wishing Mr. Esmond Allcock a happy 108th birthday! He is Canada's oldest man and lives in the Kerrobert Health Centre. He is the biggest Blue Jays fan, is on social media and is humble and kind.@BlueJays @facebook @TwitterMoments#HappyBirthdayEsmond pic.twitter.com/mrrAUDNZRo
— Saskatchewan Health Authority (@SaskHealth) January 26, 2018
THE BABY AND GRANDFATHER BONDED
The bond between Esmond Senior and Esmond Junior made the family visit even more memorable. They were inseparable, and the great-grandfather was emotional as he interacted with the newest addition to his family.
He kept saying: “You don’t know what this means to me.” It also meant a lot to Lehne, who called herself blessed to still have him in her life. She added that he enquired about the baby regularly and wanted updates.
THE ONLINE REACTION
Lehne said: “Once the snow melts, we’ll be on our way to visit him again. It will be great-great-grandpa Esmond, little Ez, and the ‘Walk Walk’ girl.” The story also touched netizens.
One user wrote: “Adorable bond and touching story.” Others called it a sweet encounter and expressed: “I miss my grandpa.” Another commenter stated: “I know he was honored.” For Esmond Senior, it was a moment he will never forget.
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