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The Daily Tar Heel
Town Talk

Humans of Chapel Hill for Jan. 21, 2015

Daily Tar Heel staff writer Mengqi Jiang sat down with Dale Lovely, a utility mechanic for Orange Water and Sewer Authority for almost 20 years, for Town Talk’s weekly Humans of Chapel Hill feature.

What has been the happiest moment in your life so far?

Would be the birth of my daughter. Many many years ago, but it is the happiest moment. She is 29 now. It was a very exciting time, the unknown: how would you care for a new-born baby, stuff like that. Trials and tribulations that come with raising a child. 

What has been the happiest moment with her?

I would say going to Disneyland in California on vacations. It was a long time ago. She was five.

Do you often visit her?

Yes, twice a week. Or she comes to visit me about twice a week. Talk to her every day almost on phone. She is young still. She is trying to make her way in the world.

What has been the saddest moment so far?

Probably the death of my parents. 1999, my mom passed away. That was the last one. That was the saddest moment. You can’t go home no more. You don’t meet your parents. No more mom and daddy. I couldn’t think of anything else worse than that, to me. The feeling back then was a sense of deep loss. It hurt, you know, because I wanted her to see my grandchildren and I wasn’t able to see her a lot. She was in the nursing home in her last ten years. It was a very long ,sad thing. But when she passed away, it was extra sad. No more phone calls, no more visits.

How did you overcome it?

Just time. Time heals all.

What is your biggest struggle right now?

Probably the economy and paying our bills. That’s about it. You know, it’s the daily routine of paying the bills. That’s pretty much the struggle for a lot of people.

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