LAMOINE — A generous and unusually kind gift from a Livermore man has gone a long way toward restoring Albert Herrick’s faith in humanity.

Herrick, 85, was shaken recently when a wooden bench he and his family sat in regularly to visit the gravesites of his wife and daughter was stolen from the Forest Hill Cemetery. Both died in the last two years.

Dennis Champagne, who works the overnight shift in the control room at Verso Paper in Jay, heard about the sad story in The Ellsworth American and decided to act.

He called Herrick a week ago and said he would like to give him a replacement granite bench. Champagne assembles granite benches and granite countertops as a sideline.

“It just blew my mind that someone would do that,” said Champagne. “I felt bad for him, this time of year especially.”

Herrick wasn’t sure what to think at first when he received the call.

“He offered me a bench free of charge,” said Herrick. “I didn’t know whether he was pulling my leg or not.”

Herrick soon realized Champagne was sincere. He gave Herrick his choice of a black or Deer Isle pink granite bench. Herrick chose the lighter color.

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