Ask Onix
A chance encounter on Christmas Eve
Fifty years ago, Rob and Dianne Parsons of Cardiff opened their door to a man holding a frozen chicken and a bin bag of belongings. The couple, then 27 and 26, had no idea their spontaneous invitation would forge a lifelong connection with Ronnie Lockwood, a man they vaguely remembered from childhood.
The beginning of an unexpected journey
Ronnie, who was autistic, had been homeless since the age of 15. On that December night in 1975, he stood on the Parsons' doorstep, clutching a chicken given to him for Christmas. Rob Parsons recalled asking, "Ronnie, what's with the chicken?" When Ronnie explained, Rob said two words that changed everything: "Come in."
The couple cooked the chicken, let Ronnie bathe, and agreed to let him stay for Christmas. What started as a short-term act of kindness turned into a 45-year companionship that lasted until Ronnie's death in 2020.
A life shaped by hardship and resilience
Ronnie's early life was marked by instability. Placed in a care home at age eight, he was later sent 200 miles away to a school described in reports as a "school for subnormal boys." He lived there for five years without friends, social workers, or teachers who truly knew him. At 15, he was sent back to Cardiff with nothing.
Rob Parsons, who later researched Ronnie's past for his book A Knock on the Door, discovered these details. Ronnie often asked, "Have I done a bad thing?"-a phrase the couple believed he picked up during his time at the school, where he was constantly made to feel at fault.
Building a family together
Initially, Ronnie struggled with eye contact and conversation, but the Parsons grew to love him. They helped him secure a job as a waste collector and took him shopping for new clothes, replacing the ones he had worn since his teenage years. "We didn't have kids of our own," Rob said. "It was like dressing your kids for school. We were proud parents."
Ronnie became a fixture in their household, developing routines like emptying the dishwasher each morning. Rob would feign surprise at his daily questions to avoid disappointing him. "It's hard to look surprised when you get the same question on Tuesday that you had on Monday," Rob laughed, "but that was Ronnie."
Despite the challenges-including a 20-year battle with Ronnie's gambling addiction-the Parsons couldn't imagine their lives without him. "Sometimes I was his mother, sometimes I was his social worker, and sometimes I was his carer," Dianne reflected.
Unwavering loyalty and love
Ronnie's kindness extended beyond the Parsons' home. He spent his spare time at their local church, setting up chairs for services and gathering donations for the homeless. Dianne recalled one instance when Ronnie came home wearing mismatched shoes. When asked, he explained he had given his own to a homeless man.
During one of their lowest periods, when Dianne was bedridden with chronic fatigue syndrome, Ronnie stepped up. He helped care for their young children, made milk bottles for their son, and kept the household running. "He was remarkable," Dianne said.
A bond that defied expectations
As their children grew, the Parsons briefly considered helping Ronnie live independently. But when they broached the subject, Ronnie asked, "Have I done a bad thing?" Dianne couldn't go through with it. A few nights later, Ronnie asked, "We three are firm friends, aren't we?" Rob reassured him, "Yes, Ronnie, we will be together forever."
Ronnie died in 2020 after suffering a stroke. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only 50 people attended his funeral, but the couple received over 100 sympathy cards from people across all walks of life-"from Oxford University professors to politicians and the unemployed."
A lasting legacy
After Ronnie's death, a £1.6 million wellbeing center attached to Glenwood Church in Cardiff was named Lockwood House in his honor. However, the old and new buildings didn't match, requiring additional funding to complete the renovation. The Parsons needn't have worried-Ronnie's will provided the exact amount needed.
"In the end, the homeless man put the roof over all of our heads."
Rob Parsons
Reflecting on their journey, Dianne said, "People ask how it happened-45 years-but the honest truth is, in some ways, it happened a day at a time. Ronnie brought a richness into our lives."
