Michele Reckel only knew Scoti Domeij as someone she waved to everyday from her post as crossing guard for Fremont Elementary School. She knows Scoti much better after rallying the neighborhood to help comfort the grieving mother after the death of her son, Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer Domeij in Afghanistan. Scoti lives in the house behind Michele.

From her post as crossing guard for Fremont Elementary School, Michele Reckel often waves to passing neighbors.

She doesn’t know most of the people who pass her on the corner of Union Boulevard and Del Paz Drive. But Michele said she’s naturally friendly and likes helping people.

“It’s how I’ve always lived my life,” she said. “It’s what the Lord tells us to do.”

Kristoffer Domeij

You’d think they were best friends the way Michele sprang to action when she got word Scoti’s son, Army Ranger Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer Domeij, had died serving in Afghanistan on Oct. 22.

Michele learned of the death from Bonnie Stonerock, who lives across the street. Bonnie lets Michele park in her driveway each day for her crossing guard shifts. And she knew Michele was married to a soldier and might have ideas for how to help Scoti.

“Bonnie told me Scoti’s roof is caving in and she wondered if there was any way we could get it repaired,” Michele said. “I told her I’d see what I can do.”

So Michelle turned to her husband, Warrant Officer Kelly Reckel of the Army Reserves, and they got busy.

“I knew there was no way the neighborhood could afford the roof,” Michele said. “So I started contacting the media for help.”

She also turned to her husband’s unit and she wasn’t disappointed by the response on either count.

Contractors, roofing companies and others responded to her TV pleas. Gary Faver of Faver Roofing came out on Thursday and put a new roof on the modest house where Scoti lives and cares for disabled adults. All the materials were bought by Empire Staple Co. and Jim Wydra.

On Saturday, Kelly Reckel and his unit built fence and did landscaping. New windows, gutters and more are on his list of repairs for the house if they can raise money for the materials.

Bonnie Stonerock said she and the others want Scoti to know that in her time of grief, neighbors care.

“We are devastated for Scoti’s sake,” Bonnie said. “She’s such a giving person. She’s always willing to help anyone in need. We want her to know she’s not in this alone.”

For Michele, it was natural to help even though Scoti was just a face she waved at each day.

The landscaping crew working on at the home of Scoti Domeij take a break Saturday before getting back to their project.

“My husband and I have taught our six kids that this is how you live,” Michele said. “We always help people in need.”

That includes years of making burritos and handing them out to homeless vets on cold winter weekends.

It means shoveling snow for elderly strangers. Hauling their trash.

And it means rallying folks to replace a roof for a grieving mother.

“Because of this, Scoti and I have gotten really close,” Michele said. “We cried together for half an hour. She’s a beautiful woman.”

I think Michele is pretty special, too. Next time you see her on her corner, helping kids cross Union safely, give her a wave.

Michele Reckel, right, is joined on her crossing guard duty by Elaina McCrery and her dogs Dixie and Dexter.

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