Longtime YMCA resident meets with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu
BOSTON -- Just four days before Christmas, WBZ-TV introduced you to Norman Borkow, the long-time YMCA resident who has become a fixture in his community.
Last month, when the 80-year-old moved into his newly renovated room at the Huntington Avenue YMCA, we learned that there was one person he was longing to meet: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
Thanks to a lot of love and collaboration-- WBZ-TV was happy to help make this special meeting happen on Tuesday.
Wu arrived at the Huntington Avenue YMCA with plenty of warmth to share on this cold winter day-- and Bamboo, as a belated birthday gift.
From music to movies, to politics, the pair covered a lot of ground. Norm, as he is affectionately known as at the Y, made sure to ask all of the questions on his mind.
"It's a four-year term, right? You think you'll do another one?" Norm asked Mayor Wu.
As you can see, he's even read to help her plan her political future, too.
Borkow described the encounter as "good, very good. Couldn't be better!"
"He is a treasure, in a treasure of an institution. I'm struck by -- I mean even just spending a few minutes with him it's like taking a tour through history. All of the memories he has of Boston," Mayor Wu told WBZ-TV's Courtney Cole.
Remember when WBZ-TV asked for your help to lift Norm's spirits this holiday season? Viewers helped do just that.
"It was unbelievable. Norm is saying it's about 100 cards, but I think there were about 125 emails first. We printed them out, and he read them and he decided he wanted to follow up with some," said Wendy Zinn, the Chief of Partnerships and Social Responsibility, and one of the many people at the Y who go above and beyond to help Norm.
Zinn told Cole had a visitor, too.
Now, he has his eyes set on Valentine's Day.
"I'm a heartbreaker now," Norm said before changing his mind and smiling.
If you would like to visit Norm or send him a card, you still can. You can reach out to Wendy Zinn at: wzinn@ymcaboston.org.
Or if you'd like to send him a card, mail it to:
Attn: Norman Borkow
Huntington Ave. YMCA
316 Huntington Ave.
Boston, MA 02115