Denzel Washington gave an elderly woman the surprise of a lifetme when he showed up at her doorstep.
Juanita Hubbard was reading an old horoscope while awaiting a delivery from Sears at her home in Chicago when a car pulled up, the Chicago Sun Times reports.
Affectionately known in the neighbourhood as “Mama Hubbard,” some of her family members were gathered to celebrate the 35th birthday of her grandson, Anthony Cobbs.
Washington said he and his driver stopped at Hubbard’s house, which she’d been living in for 50 years, to ask for directions to Leon’s Barbecue. He began talking to the family when Hubbard’s daughter told him he had to meet their mama.
“Where’s Mama?” the Oscar-winning actor called out as he approached the door.
He greeted the 86-year-old at the door and Hubbard gave him the biggest hug.
The actor said his own mother is 94 and he has just got off the phone with her.
″This is a blessing,” Hubbard said repeatedly as Washington chatted with the family and reminisced about spending time in the area as a child.
“I used to come here when I was 5, 6, 7 years old. Right up the block,” Washington told the family in the video above. “I’m regular folk… I’m right here. I’m not from Chicago, but I’m here unafraid.”
“I used to come around here and my cousin will pick somebody of my size and i had to fight him”
He said they were rangers, Blackstone rangers, “y’all too young to know about Blackstone rangers” one of them said he is a Blackstone ranger and Densel was so happy laughing out with them. The training day actor said “I’m 62 and finally got together with the rangers”
Hubbard continued to hold onto Washington’s arm, saying “I’m not gon’ let him go!”
She told ABC7, “I saw this tall, handsome young man walk up on steps. I said, ‘Dear God, my blessing has been answered.’”
Damsel introduced himself to the youngest member of the family and said ‘you might not know who I’m right now’ but you will when you wash some movies.. he jokes with them by telling the youngster not to watch Training Day movie. They recited few lines from the award winning movie together with the actor.
Hubbard had been living with her granddaughter because of floor repairs been made at her home. She was at her home that day because of the expected delivery.
She told the outlet that she was “just at the right place at the right time” when Washington pulled up.
“He was always one of those people I wanted to meet, but I didn’t think I could take it,” Hubbard said. “But it was just like talking to one of my own sons.”
The whole family and friends had a good laugh with the actor and took pictures with him.
It was a day in their life they will never forget and it’s kind of good for a black role model coming back to the community and sharing common heritage with them in freedom. No security, no body guards.
The Visit to Mama Hubbard was priceless.