Thomas and Walter met 48 years ago at QCP and today are closer than brothers. The two met as teenagers while attending the pre-vocational program and immediately hit it off. Walter and Thomas would remain friends over the years but it wasn’t until they moved into QCP’s Jackson Heights residence on the same day 13 years ago when their bond really formed.

Walter has truly taken his friend under his wing, exhibiting the same nurturing side he had while still living at home. “Walt dedicated himself to helping my grandmother since she couldn’t get around that well,” Walter’s niece Patty Ryder recalls. “From hanging curtains to trips to the grocery store, he pitched in however he could. And now, he helps Thomas.”

For Walter, it’s the willingness to help his comrade that defines their friendship. When asked why he takes care of Thomas, he replies, “Because I like him.”

For Thomas, Walter is also an inspiration. “My brother says, ‘If Walter can do it, I can do it,” explains Margaret MacPherson, Thomas’s sister.

Although Thomas is now living in a new residence, he and Walter see each other regularly. On Sundays, they go to church with Margaret and have lunch and dinner together at her house. The two friends also bowl and vacation together and celebrate the holidays with one another.