For more than a quarter century, David Perryman was a seasonal fixture outside the Mission Hy-Vee as a bell ringer collecting Christmastime donations for the Salvation Army.
That’s no longer possible for Perryman, 73, who recently entered the care of Harbor Hospice of Kansas about three months ago. He was diagnosed as a young boy with dystonia, a rare neurological disorder that causes involuntary muscle contractions.
His deteriorating health has made it so that he can no longer speak and must use a motorized wheel chair to get around. Still, he let Harbor Hospice know his wish was to visit the Mission Hy-Vee at 6655 Martway St. again, but that was no longer feasible given his health.
So Harbor Hospice, in essence, brought his Hy-Vee community to Perryman with a drive-by parade of friends and well-wishers this week outside his Merriam home.
Perryman gives the parade a thumbs up
- Perryman couldn’t verbalize how he felt about the parade, which occurred Thursday, but he shared a “thumbs up” when asked about his reaction.
- The parade featured at least a dozen friends, family members, Merriam police officers and Hy-Vee employees who drove past Perryman’s home on 55th Street, waving as Perryman sat at his front window and watched.
- Perryman’s wife Pam said she thought the parade was a testament to “the wonderful community.”
- “We’re just so happy to be part of it,” she said. “We love the people at Hy-Vee, the workers, the people that shop there, we could not ask for a better place to live. It’s just been wonderful.”
Harbor Hospice wanted to honor Perryman
- Angelina Sanchez-Vinson, a social worker at Harbor Hospice, said the parade was a way to show appreciation for what the Perrymans have done for their community.
- Rachel Winter, the volunteer coordinator at Harbor Hospice who helped organize the parade, said Perryman’s daily efforts to raise money for people in need continue to have an impact.
- “The least we could do is celebrate him and bring the community to him, the community that he’s worked so hard to help,” Winter said.
Perryman never let physical challenges deter his efforts
- Pam said her husband used to work as a janitor, but quit his job in 1995 after his foot started turning to the point where he couldn’t walk.
- While he was on disability for a while, Pam said, he noticed an ad in the paper for a Salvation Army bell ringer position at the Mission Hy-Vee, 6655 Martway St.
- Pam said she’s heard several people say that when they don’t feel good and don’t want to get stuff done, they think of David and do what needs to be accomplished.
- “He inspires people to keep going, and he’s loved every minute of it,” Pam said.
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