A crowd of over 160 supporters and friends gathered at Boatique Winery on Saturday, Oct. 28 to mark an important milestone for the Lake County Land Trust (LCLT) which is celebrating its 30th anniversary throughout 2023 and 2024.
he s a guiding force. reporter: at the same time, i don t hear you talking a lot. no. reporter: i just see a lot of nodding like you re doing now. mm-hmm. reporter: a lot of mm-hmms. listening is a number one skill all mankind needs to know how to do very well. reporter: a skill he has clearly mastered. when al starred coming here seven years ago, the therapy was for him. he needed a quiet place to clear his head and the last thing he wanted was to hear other people s problems. but then a woman he d never met told him something he ll never forget. she said, every day i see you, i know everything s going to be okay. and that made me realize that, when you speak to someone or you smile, you let them know i value you, and people pick that up. when i walk by sometimes, you know, i don t get a chance to chat with him because there are other people waiting in line. ( laughter ) reporter: and the the line has only grown. after we first told this story
this past summer, people popped by with poems and paintings and poses for selfies, many new faces from many new places. yes. reporter: from how far away. all over the country. reporter: all over the country? why do you think people came from far and wide just to sit on that bench with you? i simply think people just know i care. reporter: same reason people put a plaque on the bench, to a loving and loyal friend and a confidant to many, forever and always. powerful. reporter: how can such a simple plaque be that powerful? when you l.s.uan to someone, you matter to me. reporter: they gave you back what you gave to them. everyone needs an al, even al. have a great day! you, too, honey! reporter: steve hartman, on the road, in st. petersburg, florida. yuccas: i think we all need a lot more ales. we ll be right back.
introduced you to a man who offers a sympathetic ear, all from his beachside bench. here s cbs s steve hartman with an update on the road. reporter: in st. petersburg, florida, when the sun rises, al nixon sets for his impromptu therapy sessions. how you been? reporter: are you surprised at what people tell you? not anymore. reporter: al isn t a strained therapist. i have been concerned. reporter: he works for the city water department. he s dismissing you. yeah. reporter: in these early morning hours he s a trusted confidant and counselor to whoever passes by. and i wrote to him and said reporter: renee retestein is a regular. he knows everything about me. reporter: did you feel weird sharing your secret with a guy on the bench? no, he won t judge me. he takes you for who you are. reporter: bernadette mills says she s never met a wiser than.