Toronto man gives lunch to old classmate after 4 decades

A Toronto man decided to treat a childhood classmate he hadn't seen in more than 40 years to a Christmas dinner after he learned he was going to dinner.

Kevin Jacobs says he wants to help Peter Turley after seeing him featured in a CTV News story about food banks in Toronto, where Turley was one of the prominent clients.

“I was watching and someone called 'Peter Turley.' I looked up and said, “It's Peter!” I said,” Jacobs said, recalling him when they were both 12 years old.

“That prompted me to contact the news station and I thought I should get something for it. “There are a lot of people in this town who are capable of helping and I wanted to do something,” he said.

Peter Turley, left, is seen to the right of Kevin Jacobs. (CTV News)

After they graduated, Jacobs became a teacher and Turley became a nurse.

But about 20 years ago, Turley lost his eyesight due to diabetes-related complications and was unable to work.

Earlier this week, Turley told CTV News Toronto's Pauline Chan that she is a client of the North York Food Bank this week and plans to put food on the table for the holiday dinner.

“It's a small family meal, and we're not buying a big, expensive turkey, we're getting a wholesome bird,” he said.

Wholesome turkeys are birds with the skin torn or without edible parts, but are usually carved before serving.

Jacobs met with Turley at her apartment building Friday evening, carrying a yearbook that shows the pair on the same page in the 7th grade at Oakdale Middle School.

“You're taller than I remember,” joked Turley as Jacobs walked through the door with two blue shopping bags filled with turkey, carrots, Brussels sprouts and apple cider.

“It's amazing. It's amazing. It's what my wife and I would do if we could,” Turley said.

Food bank use has soared since the pandemic, with one in ten Torontonians using food bank services, said Henry Chiu of North York Harvest.

“You know, when you used to work, everything was supposed to be fine. You must be able to make a living, house, and put food on the table. But this is not the case,” he said.

Turley said he received several side dishes from other members of the Leeside United Church and thanked them for their support.

“Helping others is what Christmas is all about,” he said.