News 4 helps poll volunteer find man who lent him his coat on Election Day
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A warm winter coat is now with its rightful owner, after being handed over to a shivering volunteer at a polling place on Election Day.
"You have to return a kindness somehow," said Larry Smith.
News 4 first talked to Smith last Friday. He was searching for the kind stranger who gave him a big and warm winter coat while volunteering at Crown Heights Christian Church, a polling place, on election day.
On that cold Tuesday morning, the marine veteran was only wearing short sleeves.
"After about two hours there, I started shivering, and my shoulder muscles were tightening up," Smith said.
A kind stranger gave him the coat after Smith refused several times. But, Smith lost the contact information and called News 4 for help.
A few days later, News 4 received an email and a picture of proof.
News 4 sent the picture to Smith.
"There was no doubt about it," said Smith. "I could have sworn those were the same clothes he was wearing when he came to vote."
The man with the coat of kindness was Nate Tipple.
On Wednesday, they met back up at the church.
Smith: "Are you chilly?"
Tipple: "I could use a coat! How are you doing?"
Tipple, a 23-year-old student at OU, didn't forget how cold Smith looked that morning.
"It's just like this cute man. That was like, helping direct everyone to the right spot," said Tipple. "It was the easiest person to help because he was already helping, himself."
"By the time I got home, I was more than well aware that I hadn't had this coat. Health wise, I would have been in trouble," Smith said to Tipple.
This situation proves kindness is a give and take, even with a small gesture like giving someone a coat.
"It seems like the older I get, the fewer kind people I encounter," said Smith. "Especially these days. Everybody's like the grumpy cat, and it takes a lot to get them to smile."
Nate told News 4 the big gesture is just how far Smith was willing to go to return the coat.
"It was like totally 'Oklahoma Coded' that I feel like, it's a small town in a big city," said Tipple.
Tipple told News 4 the two exchanged numbers. Tipple's looking forward to this new friendship because the marine is a "treasure trove of stories."