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Norfolk woman spreads smiles by decorating lion statues

Off Hampton Boulevard in Ghent, Sherman McDaniel started her tradition of decorating the two lion statues in front of her house five years ago.

NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) --- You can find one of life’s little joys on one of Norfolk’s busiest streets.

Off Hampton Boulevard in Ghent, Sherman McDaniel started her tradition of decorating the two lion statues in front of her house five years ago.

“When people ask for an address, I say the house on Hampton with the lions,” said McDaniel. “Everybody knows what we’re talking about.”

The lion statues at the end of her walkway are decked out in stars and stripes right now for the patriotic holidays in June and July. Every season, and every holiday, the lions get a new outfit.

“It just snowballed,” said McDaniel. “Now, they’re getting mail.”

Neighbors have sent letters, and commuters passing by having left notes, all of it serving as motivation for McDaniel to keep the tradition alive.

The support means, even more, this month.

At the beginning of May, McDaniel was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“I’m not going to allow myself to get depressed,” said McDaniel. “[The lions] take me a long way in making sure that doesn’t happen.”

It’s something simple, even silly, but it’s McDaniel’s way of bettering the world around her.

“Life itself is hard,” said McDaniel. “If I can make somebody smile between here and the tunnel, or on their way home at the end of the day, that makes it worthwhile to me.”

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