KENSINGTON, Md. —
Tom Schruben never expected it would last this long. Four-and-a-half years ago, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, he began posting a daily “dad joke” in his front yard.
“It was born out of COVID desperation,” Schruben, an environmental consultant, said. “People weren’t talking to each other on the street and it was just a very scary time.”
Schruben started putting his joke of the day on a whiteboard outside his home. They quickly became a highlight for neighbors passing by.
“It makes a lot of people laugh and what can be better than making people laugh,” said Doug Smith, who has been neighbors and friends with Schruben for years.
But the impact of Schruben’s simple action has gone much deeper.
One young neighbor with special needs made it a point to visit Schruben’s joke twice each day. Schruben said that’s because the boy said, “it’s better the second time.”
Another neighbor began taking pictures of the jokes and sending them to her father as he battled COVID in a New Jersey hospital.
“She would use it as motivation for him to stick with it because it was a real struggle,” Schruben said. “That one made me cry,” he added while holding back tears.
Schruben believes laughter can be a medicine for grief. And he would know.
“Yeah we’ve had our share of suffering in our lives,” Schruben said. “Maybe more than our share.”
Two of Schruben’s six children died at young ages due to medical complications. At 4 years old, his son Tucker passed away in his sleep. A few years later, Schruben's daughter, Alana, died from complications due to seizures.
“Life involves suffering sometimes,” Schruben said. “But you just have to go on.”
With each joke, Schruben is honoring the joy of his children while also sharing joy with others.
“He’s doing something for other people [to] make people joyous,” Smith said. “Maybe I can do something, too,” he wondered.
If that’s the result of his work, then Schruben believes every joke has been worthwhile.
“Even small distractions can have a big impact,” Schruben said.
And even bad jokes can do some good.
Tune in to WUSA9 News on TV or streaming on WUSA9+ every week for "The Heart Of It with Sean Martinelli". Do you have a story idea for Sean? Email him at TheHeartOfIt@wusa9.com