Raleigh man invites strangers over for Thanksgiving, gets 400-plus responses

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Brian Davis has had a lot happen to him in just the last year.

The main thing was a heart attack.

"After being sick and almost passing away, I guess it's a maturation thing," Davis said. "For 55 years of my life, I've taken and to be able to give, it means the world to me."

He also couldn't take the New England winters anymore, so he moved from Connecticut down to Raleigh where he has lived before.

After seven months, he decided, on a whim, to ask his Brier Creek community on the Next Door app if anyone needed a place for Thanksgiving.

He expected a handful of responses but not the 400-plus he's gotten.

"I don't have a lot, but whatever I have, I'm willing to give," Davis said.

Davis said he has four complete strangers coming to join him for the holiday Thursday.

"It means everything. I want to be able to give back and serve," he said. "If that means money, time or bending my ear."

One group used to serving a lot of people on Thanksgiving is the Durham Rescue Mission.

The DRM is back to giving in a big way again this Thanksgiving.

It is expecting up to 2,000 people for its annual feast Thursday. Last year, it couldn't have it because of COVID-19 restrictions.

"We're doing this for the people who are alone, that want to have a place to have Thanksgiving with, and we want to be that place," said Rob Tart, incoming CEO of the rescue mission.