NEWBERG, Ore. — Rain, shine or even snow, crossing guards make sure kids get around traffic safely, but there's a man in Newberg who's doing much more than that. He's brightening up those around him, one smile at a time.
Nicholas Morrow, 27, has cerebral palsy and while that comes with challenges, it doesn't stop him from helping keep his community safe. He works as a crossing guard at Mabel Rush Elementary School.
Morrow was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and cortical vision impairment when he was six months, his mother, Rachel Morrow, said. He can't see or speak but his mom said you can usually tell what's on his mind.
"If he's uncomfortable, if he's happy, he's very expressive," she said. "So that's how we communicate."
Caretaker Sonya Sanchez spends about 40 hours a week with him. After his mom gets him ready, Sanchez feeds Nicholas and takes him to work.
The two wear neon traffic vests while Sanchez pushes Nicholas in a wheelchair with the flag across the crosswalk, allowing others to walk across. The kids are often curious about Nicholas.
"Their little faces show, just the way they look, they're curious about not only him, but me too," said Sanchez. "What it is we do and possibly why we do it. And so I let them know."
Often, people will waive and honk as they drive by the pair.
"I think it's honestly the sweetest thing I've ever seen," said Anna Johnstone, parent of a student at the school. "Everybody's always so welcoming and it's just so heartwarming to watch."
Morrow is even out there on the corner when most people don't want to be outside.
"Every day. Rain or shine," said Julie Donovan, another parent of a Mabel Rush Elementary School student. "There's some days I don't want to be out here walking little miss to school, but it's definitely great to have them both out here."
"He's just like been ingrained in this community in this Mabel Rush School District," she added.
For the Morrow family, getting him a job to be active and part of the community was the goal.
"My husband and I are not going to be here forever," said Morrow. "The community will be and I want to make sure that he's taken care of for his life for the rest of his life."