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Mother goes viral after concerned neighbor stops her during morning jog

‘The world needs more Stanleys!’ mother says of her sweet neighbor

Olivia Hebert
Los Angeles
Sunday 29 September 2024 10:52 BST
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A mother was stopped by a concerned neighbor during her morning jog and footage of it has gone viral
A mother was stopped by a concerned neighbor during her morning jog and footage of it has gone viral (TikTok)

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A mother was stopped by a concerned neighbor during her morning jog and footage of it has gone viral.

In a sweet clip shared on TikTok, novice runner Anna Grace Boswell was heading out for a morning jog – preparing for a half-marathon she’d signed up for three weeks prior – when her neighbor, Stanley, ran over to Boswell to make sure she wasn’t running from danger. She caught the funny moment via her front door security camera.

“CACKLING,” the mother of two wrote in the caption, “Protect my neighbor at all costs. He had no idea what I was running from but was READY to help!”

The video has since garnered over 11 million views on the social media platform, with users finding the whole situation hilarious and praising Stanley for his vigilance.

“He said ‘her?? Exercising??? No she must be in danger,’” one person wrote. “He’s so sweet [though].”

“He immediately knew the assignment but also was confused by the assignment,” another added.

“Stanley was ready for war,” one user commented, while someone else jokingly referenced the State Farm ad: “Like a good neighbor, Stanley is there.”

Boswell explained she had only recently started following a five-day-a-week training plan. She’s found her new hobby to be a nice way to “reset” after a long day of caring for her two toddlers.

“As many guessed in the comment section, I’m still relatively new to the running game,” she explained to People. “I guess you can say I’m in the honeymoon phase.”

“I was shocked when he asked if I was okay because in my mind, I looked very cool,” she admitted. “I had on my running vest, hot pink shorts, and my favorite running shoes. I was feeling myself.”

She added, “He humbled me for sure! But he’s such a genuine guy. I knew he only had pure intentions.”

“Stanley is just an awesome human being,” she gushed. “Even though he no longer lives across the street, I’ll always think of him as my neighbor.”

“In this day and age, I think you can’t let your guard down. There’s too much at stake,” she continued. “I’m so thankful I live in an area where neighbors have each other’s backs.”

“I can’t tell you the relief it brings me to know that I live in an area where my neighbors are watching my back, too. The world needs more Stanleys!”

After the video went viral, Boswell waited a few days before she told Stanley, but noted he was “a great sport” when she did. Since then, the pair have filmed two more TikToks together.

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