Robert is a kindhearted, optimistic man with a warm and welcoming personality. He deeply values his connection with his Friends & Co Phone Companion, Angie, a bond that has meant a lot since the pandemic.
Born in Faribault, Minnesota, Robert was the youngest of seven children. He never really knew his siblings, as he grew up with a foster family from the age of two following his premature birth. Raised by a couple who cared for more than 80 children, he grew up on a farm in Koochiching County, where he learned the value of hard work—milking cows, fixing fences, and tending animals. Farm life was demanding but joyful, especially his time with the dogs. After his foster mother passed away when he was 16, Robert was on his own, working for neighboring farmers and later in a sawmill.
In the 1970s, Robert relocated to the Twin Cities and secured steady employment at Wilder Nursing Home in St. Paul, where he spent 17 years. He later held janitorial jobs, including working at the Timberwolves Stadium. A serious accident there left him with lasting injuries, forcing him into early disability and changing his life dramatically.
Robert built a new sense of purpose through volunteering. He became active with the VFW Men’s Auxiliary, cooking pancake breakfasts for the National Guard and helping with community events. His Catholic faith has always been central to his great attitude, giving him strength through challenges, including major surgeries and health setbacks. Remarkably, after a complicated neck surgery in 2024 left him temporarily paralyzed, Robert worked his way back through months of intensive therapy and now lives independently in a cozy apartment he loves.
Today, Robert enjoys decorating for the holidays, good conversation, and spending time with companions. Though he uses a cane and lives with neuropathy, he remains resilient, grateful, and full of life.
