Earl Hurshman, a retired steel fabricator with 10 grandchildren, spends his time building dollhouses in the basement of his Excelsior Springs, Missouri home.
But the 81-year-old does not build the wooden dollhouses for his grandchildren, he gives the dollhouses to underprivileged grandparents and parents so they can give them as presents to their children, People magazine reported.
Hurshman buys supplies for the dollhouses, including paint, tiny furniture and dollhouse kits, with most of the money from his social security checks.
"I live modestly," he told People. "I don't need anything, I don't want anything."
In addition to dollhouses, Hurshman builds fire stations and barns so that boys "don't feel left out." Hurshman gave away close to 12 dollhouses last year, and anticipates giving away more this year, People reported. He finds the families through referral or by placing flyers in his neighborhood.
"I meet with them first and find out a little bit about their situation," Hurshman told People. "Money can't buy that hug around my neck."
Hurshman's inspiration to build and give away the dollhouses came from his wife who passed away in October 2011. In their marriage of almost 50 years, they never argued.
"Now we had disagreements but we never ever yelled at each other," Hurshman told People. "Never. We were raised with the same ideals and morals. We had more fun."
Hurshman visits his wife's grave every chance he gets and talks to her. Unsure of what to do with his life, he asked his wife, Bernadette, for advice one day.
"I could just hear her, and excuse my language, but she said, 'Get off you're a-- and do something!" Hurshman told People.
Since then Hurshman, who has a love for woodwork, has built dollhouses for people like Craig Beasley, who lost his job in 2012. Hurshman gave a dollhouse to his daughters, 9-year-old Emilie and 6-year-old Gracie, People reported.
"They just don't make people like Earl. He is a real angel on earth," the girls' mother, Maria," told People. "Earl makes me want to be a better person. There's no way I'll ever be able to repay him, but I'll pay it forward."
Pictures of Hurshman's dollhouses here
