Mom-of-Two Heads Out for a Jog as Part of New Routine. A Neighbor Runs After Her, Worried for Her Safety (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Anna Grace Boswell is grateful for good neighbors.

In a moment sharedon TikTok, the new runner, preparing for half marathon later this year, was heading out for a morning jog when her neighbor, Stanley, started to run over toward her. Stanley made sure Boswell was okay and not running from a dangerous situation before she went on with her new morning routine.

“As many guessed in the comment section, I’m still relatively new to the running game. Three weeks ago I decided torun a half marathonat the end of the year and I’ve been following a training plan, five days a week, since,” she tells PEOPLE.

Anna Grace Boswell

“I guess you can say I’m in the honeymoon phase,” she adds. “It’s still early in the relationship but I really, really love it. I’m a mom to two toddlers, so running has been an incredible way to reset after a long day.”

“Stanley is just an awesome human being. He used to rent across the street and has since moved out, but he’s still around all the time, as you can clearly see in the recording. So even though he no longer lives across the street, I’ll always think of him as my neighbor,” she explains.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

After he approached her during her recent run, “I was shocked when he asked if I was okay because in my mind, I looked very cool,” she admits. “I had on my running vest, hot pink shorts, and my favorite running shoes. I was feeling myself.”

Laughing, she adds, “He humbled me for sure! But he’s such a genuine guy. I knew he only had pure intentions.”

“In this day and age, I think you can’t let your guard down. There’s too much at stake,” she says. “I’m so thankful I live in an area where neighbors have each other’s backs.”

Stock image of woman running.Getty Images

As a woman who runs alone, Boswell “feels like I’m always looking over my shoulder because better safe than sorry.”

“I can’t tell you the relief it brings me to know that I live in an area where my neighbors are watching my back, too,” she adds. “The world needs more Stanleys!”

Boswell’s TikTok about the moment has amassed more than 11 million views as people applaud Stanley’s kindhearted ways.

“The reaction has been hysterical. Half the Internet is obsessed with Stanley — and rightfully so — and the other half has been roasting me in the nicest and most hilarious way possible. It’s just too funny,” she shares.

Boswell had to wait a few days to tell Stanley about their viral video, but he was “a great sport” when she did. They’ve since filmedtwo more TikTokstogether,too.

“Stanley is a DJ and had a pretty busy weekend after I posted the video, so I was very nervous someone was going to tell him he went viral before I had a chance to show him the video myself,” Boswell shares. “But when I finally was able to show him the video, he got a really big kick out of it.”

source: people.com