He Was Only 4, but His Daily Waves Did Something Remarkable for His Entire Neighborhood
A little wave may last only a second. A friendly hello can be forgotten by lunchtime.
But in Concord, North Carolina, a four-year-old boy named Roman Butzlaff turned a simple daily habit into something much bigger: a neighborhood where people began to know one another, spend time together, and show up for a child who loved making connections.
His story, reported by CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman in July 2026, is a reminder that community does not always begin with a major event. Sometimes, it starts with one small gesture repeated day after day.
The Little Boy Who Loved Saying Hello
Roman had a habit of greeting people whenever they passed his home.
He waved. He said hello. And he seemed genuinely excited to see the people who lived around him.
According to his mother, Anna Butzlaff, greeting someone was one of the first things Roman looked forward to each day.
