Family members of seniors at Melbourne living community host car parade during coronavirus pandemic

Executive director says the facility is all about spreading positive messages

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The music was loud and the wheels were hot on Friday outside the Chateau Madeleine Senior Living community in Melbourne.

Family members of senior residents held signs as they lined up in their cars to say hello to their loved ones.

“This is the best place in the world it really is we are so well-loved and so cared for,” Judy Ebert said.

Ebert's family lives in New York and Missouri but said she loved seeing the car parade on Friday because it was just the medicine she needed.

"We have parties every day and stuff like this," Ebert said.

Nancy Johnson decorated her car with all sorts of teddy bears and a picture of her husband, Melvin, who has Parkinson's Disease.

Johnson used to visit him every day but because of COVID-19 guidelines, she has to find other ways to say hello.

"I know it's confusing for those of us who have our mental faculties and some residents here don't including my husband, so it's really important to stay as positive as you can," Johnson said.

The executive director at Chateau Madeleine, Eric Hardoon, said the facility is all about spreading positive messages during rough times.

"It's about getting a whole community together and really having a good time," Hardoon said.

At the end of the event, seniors were able to vote on their favorite car from the parade.


About the Author:

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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