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URBANA â Paulie Palermo is a 13-year-old Urbana boy with autism who longed to have a guitar of his own.
Catherine Peterson is an employee at Meijer in Urbana who sees Paulie and his mother, Julie Palermo, every week when they come to shop.
And with Christmas approaching, Peterson personally saw to it that Paulieâs wish came true by presenting him with her own guitar as a gift.
Julie Palermo said she was moved to tears by Petersonâs kind-hearted gesture.
âIt was amazing,â she said. âSheâs an amazing woman.â
Palermo said she brings Paulie to the Urbana Meijer pretty much every Saturday, and they always make a stop at the deli counter where Peterson was working until just recently.