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A Cross-Country Holiday Tradition

caption: Former Seattle resident, Barry Ford, sells Christmas trees in the Central District.
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Former Seattle resident, Barry Ford, sells Christmas trees in the Central District.
CREDIT LIZ JONES / KUOW

To many people, the holidays are about family tradition. Tradition is what brings Barry Ford and his wife, Shirley Babilya, to Seattle every December. They drive their RV across country from Iowa to do a job they love in the town where Ford grew up.

This year, the couple is 1,849 miles apart. Shirley is home in Iowa recovering from a heart attack and Barry is on his own in Seattle this season. When some Seattle neighbors found out, they stepped in to help fill the void.

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