‘Soul-warming’: the mystery man who chops wood to keep his neighbors from freezing

For many Americans, warmth is just another unattainable luxury. In upstate New York, a woodsman is quietly easing the suffering

On a chilly morning in Woodstock, New York, frozen dew turns lawns a glistening white as puffs of smoke from chimneys float across the road.

“Winter is here,” declares the woodsman, a broad-shouldered man in a black-and-gray checked wool shirt and navy denim Carhartt overalls as he sharpens his orange chainsaw. Hanging from his neck is a medallion that reads “St Christopher protect us”– a gift from a red-carpet-level comedian who once collaborated with him on a theater project.

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