Dallas, TX
Dallas senior companions fight loneliness through friendship and weekly outings
It’s grocery day for Ola Malone — a day she looks forward to every week.
“I can’t think of anything else that I need,” Malone said. “But, you know, going to the grocery store, how that is.”
For Ola, Walmart is the place to be. Alone, this would be a tough task for the 83-year-old Dallas resident, but not with Maria Gonzalez by her side — Ola’s 79-year-old senior companion.
“With isolation, loneliness really becoming an epidemic in our older adults,” said Senior Companion Program Director Melissa Gomez. “This really helps both parties combat that isolation and loneliness.”
Senior companions are part of the Senior Source, a Dallas nonprofit helping residents age.
“I always like to work with people,” Gonzalez said.
Ten hours a week, spread over three days, Gonzalez comes to Ola’s home for whatever Ola wants to do.
“Doctor’s appointments, store,” Malone listed out. “We go to Hobby Lobby.”
On grocery day, after the Walmart trip, it’s back home for some TV and gossip time.
Before Malone and Gonzalez were connected, Malone’s daughters had to help her.
“I was homebound,” Malone said. “They would have to take off their job to take me to work and do stuff for me.”
Now, Malone has Gonzalez do stuff for her.
“She and I have really grown together fast,” Gonzalez said. “We’re good friends.”
Aging can be a lonely process, especially if you’re doing it by yourself.
“I suffer from depression because of the job where I used to work,” Malone said. “Anxiety, a lot of anxiety.”
But Gonzalez is not only a built-in helper — she’s also a friend. For Gonzalez, this keeps her going.
“This is for my own good, keeps me healthy,” Gonzalez said. “Move around, have a schedule, get up in the morning.”
As much as Gonzalez may be Malone’s companion, Malone is Gonzalez’ too.
“It is completely a friend component,” Gomez said. “We have volunteers that stay with a client to the end of life. They become part of the family.”
The senior companion does need volunteers — it has a waitlist of seniors who want companions. If you’re 55 and older and can dedicate at least ten hours a week to a client or two, you can sign up at the Senior Source Website. There is a $4 per hour stipend, and you must pass a background check.
The launch of Dallas’s new “Dallas Go” water billing system has sparked widespread frustration, overwhelming the city’s 311 lines with 35-minute wait times due to confusing account features, unexpected convenience fees, and massive billing errors.
Kurt: The situation does seem a bit odd, doesn’t it? How often is a first-round pick seemingly overlooked? But because the fanfare surrounding Downs has been so overwhelming, Lawrence has sort of gone about his business under the radar.
We fully expect the former to step in at safety and be an impact player. Of course, he will. But what about the latter?
Well, Lawrence indeed should be a starter in 2026 as well. In today’s NFL, teams don’t use that kind of draft capital on players they hope to develop. They are looking for studs who can make their presence known right away despite their lack of professional experience. Meaning, the Cowboys want, or more importantly need, the Central Florida product to contribute from the get-go.
What will be interesting to see at training camp is whether Lawrence will be lining up on the edge when the first-teamers take the field. On our Hangin’ With the Boys podcast, Nate Newton has repeatedly said that first-round picks need to get first-team reps immediately. None of this ramping up or giving courtesy to the veterans. You drafted him in the first round, you expect him to play like a first-rounder, so the more reps he gets in practice, the better.
Regardless, he may be in the perfect situation. Most of the pressure that comes with that draft status will likely fall on the shoulders of Downs, which will allow Lawrence to keep doing his thing without the added glare of the spotlight.
Still, he’s a first-round pick. He’s got to produce. Now.
Fans of Japan’s national team have captured and warmed hearts, though it had nothing to do with the match against the Netherlands and everything to do with what happened when it was over.
When the Japan vs. Netherlands FIFA World Cup match ended, many fans headed for the exits, but Japanese fans reached for trash bags instead.
Viral cleanup effort captures global attention
The now viral photos show hundreds of Japanese fans cleaning up their section of Dallas Stadium. Trash bags in hand, they picked up cups, wrappers and anything left behind.
The Japanese men’s team even left their locker room spotless. No one asked them to do it.
“It’s kind of a habit or natural, I guess,” said Nina Shimaguchi, with the Japan American Society of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Shimaguchi wasn’t surprised. The value of cleaning up is a sign of respect and the habit starts young.
“The Japanese education system, we don’t have custodians from elementary to high school, so we have to take care of hallways, restrooms,” she said.
But for many, it goes beyond being tidy. Shimaguchi says it’s tied to what’s called “Shintoism” and the belief that everyday things carry meaning.
“Shintoism is rooted in Japan, where we think all natural items have a spirit, like a tree, stones,” Shimaguchi said. “Which go into all our daily items as well … There is a saying that one rice grain has seven spirits in it…”
Outside Dallas Stadium, thousands of Dutch fans added to the World Cup energy, chanting and celebrating long after the final whistle.
Team Japan leaves lasting impression on and off the field
But in the silence, a simple act of cleaning up is sparking millions of views and a bigger conversation about culture, curiosity and kindness.
“Through the game, probably many people see, ‘Oh that’s the culture,’” said Shimaguchi. “And that’s the next step of people trying to learn, trying to know…That kind of positivity remains.”
Kindness above all else.
Team Japan plays a game this Saturday in Mexico and then returns to Dallas Stadium in 10 days to play against Sweden. And if history is any indication, they’ll do what they did before: leave the stadium spotless. Maybe even inspiring a few others to do the same.
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