BRIDGEWATER, Virginia (WHSV) – The Bridgewater community is rallying around one of its most beloved members who is currently hospitalized with COVID-19.

Carlyle Whitelow has been bringing joy to Bridgewater for decades. Townspeople can recognize him as the man who can usually be seen every morning waving people as they walk to work.

“He stands in front of the Dairy Queen in the morning and waves to people who are going to work and smiles and wishes them a good day and a good day. He just has different messages for people and he brings a smile to people’s lives, ”said Bill Kyger, Bridgewater Rotary Club member and longtime friend of Whitelow.

Community members visited Whitelow on Saturday in Sentara RMH. A group of people were seen in the parking lot waving to Carlyle in her hospital room.

Members of the community wanted to do their part to show their support for Carlyle, who is described as a caring and generous person.

“You can’t find a more generous person than Carlyle in terms of what he does for the community, not just the community as a whole but the individuals in the community. He’s just a very generous person, ”said Charlette McQuilkin, President of the Bridgewater Rotary Club. McQuilkin said she has known Whitelow for almost 30 years.

Whitelow, who worked at Bridgewater College, has been active in the community for decades as a youth sports coach and member of the Rotary Club.

“He’s like everyone’s brother, everyone’s uncle, everyone’s father, everyone’s grandfather in Bridgewater and the surrounding area,” said Bill Kyger.

Kyger and a few other members of the community formed a group called Whitelow’s Wavers, and they took Carlyle’s place, greeting people in the morning from his usual spot until he could recuperate.

“We decided it would be good for us to stay on the pitch as he stood up and wave at him, so that everyone has the opportunity to continue to smile and know that he is okay. “Kyger said.

The town’s Whitelow Park is also named after Carlyle. It was dedicated to him in 2018.

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