FRAMINGHAM – If you ever happen to drive through the city of Framingham, you most likely have come across a woman holding a sign. She’s 91-years-old and for the past six years she’s been standing at the busy intersection of Water Street and Edgell Road every day during the week for the morning rush, holding up a homemade sign that simply says “Say no to racism. Be Kind. Justice for all.”
She doesn’t shout. She doesn’t cheer. And she certainly doesn’t want to draw attention to herself. Instead, it’s about her sign and more importantly, the message behind it. “I’m holding the sign kind of as a reminder to people. Reminding them to be kind, say no to racism and how important justice is,” the woman said.
Sunny the sign holderShe goes by the name Sunny, Sunny the sign holder. And the honks for support are constant. “It’s very humbling. Again, it isn’t me I am just the sign holder. The reoccurring words I hear from different people is that you never know how much this means to me. And then they cry and hug,” Sunny said.
Sunny the sign holder in Framingham. CBS Boston Barbara Harting has witnessed Sunny holding the sign for six years. “She’s just heroic reminding us all of what we ought to be doing,” Harting said.
Sunny says she begins her day at 5 a.m. She is at the intersection by 7:30 and stands with the sign for at least two and a half hours no matter the weather. “If traffic is heavy and my legs are still erect, then I stay a little bit longer. I go home and collapse,”
Sunny said. She says it’s strong faith in God that inspires her to do this. “I feel privileged to do this. I am old and achy. The selfish part of me would love to just be home. But I feel privileged to see people’s face light up,” she said.
“I had a pipe bomb thrown at me”But she admits not everyone is kind back. “I see such cruelty and I see It growing. I’m finding it’s a scary world. Some angry people have tried to follow me home. I had a pipe bomb thrown at me,” she said.
In terms of how long she plans to do this, she said, “That’s up to God. I figured he’s not through with me yet.”
From the hugs to the honks, Sunny is doing her best to make people who pass her by feel the same. “Be kind. Be good to one another. We are all in this together,” Sunny smiled.