was >> reporter: dan peterson was late for late for his own memorial service-- four years late. , dan was ready to die back in 2016. >> and some little girl who was four years old said, "hi, old person." ( laughs ) >> reporter: that little giver of life was norah wood. norah met dan during his darkest days. as we first reported in november of 2016, dan's wife had just died. he was severely depressed, and out grocery shopping for himself here in augusta, georgia, when norah spotted him. as you can see on the security footage, she just randomly reached out to this total stranger and then had the audacity to demand a hug. "a sabsol" ( laughs ) >> reporter: norah got her hug and then asked her mom, tara, to take a picture of her with her new friend. >> his little lip quivered and he was teared up and it was just sweet. >> and i said, "you don't know. this is the first time for quite a while that i have been this happy." >> reporter: after we first told this story, we thought for sure the love would fade. but norah and dan saw each other at least once a week. he was there for her kind

dan peterson has passed away at the age of 86. may remember him as the crotchty older man whose life turned around after a young girl taught him to smile again. >> reporter: dan peterson was late for his own memorial service, four years late. according to his brother, dan was ready to dieback in 2016. >> some little girl who was four years old said hi, old person. >> reporter: that little give of life was nora wood. nora met dan during his darkest days. as we first reported in november of 2016, dan's wife had just died. he was severely depressed and out grocery shopping for himself here in augusta, georgia when nora spotted him. she just randomly reached out to this total stranger and then had the audacity to demand a hug. >> i said, a hug? absolutely. >> reporter: nora got her hug and then asked her mom to take a picture of her with her new friend. >> his lip quivered and he teared up and it was just sweet. >> i said you don't know, this is the first time for quite a while that i've been happy. >> reporter: after we first told th

. ♪ >> brennan: one of steve hartman's favorite stories recently took a bittersweet turn when dan peterson's "on the road" is a tribute to a man who overcame his personal grief, thanks to a little girl who gave him a reason to smile again. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: dan peterson was late for his own memorial service-- four years late. according to his brother, jesse, dan was ready to die back in 2016. >> and some little girl who was four years old said, "hi, old person." ( laughs ) >> reporter: that little giver of life was norah wood. norah met dan during his darkest days. as we first reported in november of 2016, dan's wife had just died. he was severely depressed, and out grocery shopping for himself here in augusta, georgia, when norah spotted him.asou can see y footage, she just randomly reached out to this total stranger and then had the audacity to demand a hug. >> i said, "a hug?" i said, "absolutely!" ( laughs ) >> reporter: norah got her hug and then asked her mom, tara, to take a picture of her with his new friend. >> his little lip quivered and he teared up and it was just sweet. >> and

. >> dan peterson was late for his own memorial service. four years late. in 2016. >> some little girl, who was four years old, said hi, old person. [laughter] >> reporter: that little giver of life was norah wood. norah met dan during his darkest days. as we first reported in november of 2016, dan's wife had just died. he was severely depressed, and out grocery shopping for himself here in augusta, georgia, when norah spotted him. as you can see on the security footage, she randomly reached out to this total stranger and then had the audacity to demand a hug. >> i said, a hug? absolutely. [laughter] >> reporter: norah got her hug and then asked her mom, tara, to take a picture of her with her new friend. >> his lip quivered and he teared up, and it was just sweet. >> i said, you don't know. this is the first time, for quite a while, that i've been this happy. >> reporter: after we first told this story, we thought for sure the love would fade. but norah and dan saw each other at least once a week. he was there for her kindergarten graduation. and she was t