Neighbourhood’s angel is a handyman

Patricia Stephens’ archangel is a handyman who lives next door.

Her neighbour, Fred Buch, has shovelled snow off her sidewalk for many years, mowed her lawn, helps with her gardening, cleans the sewers and even built a wooden arch bed frame for Stephens and her husband this past spring.

That’s why Stephens calls the 65-year-old retired Dofasco crane operator her family’s archangel — as well as Snow Angel, Gardening Angel and Angel in the Flesh, a name they came up with after Buch fixed their toilet, allowing it to “flush” properly.

Buch also helps other people in their neighbourhood with handyman tasks ranging from lifting heavy parcels to pool repairs.