After losing his wife of decades, a retired Rhode Island man has found his way back to living life to the fullest by turning other people’s trash into treasure.
John “Jack” Burnett is a familiar face along Norwood Avenue in Warwick, where his front lawn is often filled with bicycles, furniture, tools and other items waiting for a second chance. But behind that ever-changing collection is a story about grief, and about finding a reason to keep going.
Burnett and his wife, Patricia, built their life in the neighborhood after moving there in 1976. He worked as a roofer, then as a high school custodian until he retired in 2020. But around the same time, Patricia became seriously ill.
“She got rushed to the hospital three times. The third time, she passed away,” Burnett recalled. “She seemed like she was getting better but she didn’t. I did the best I could.”…