"His patience is unbelievable:" World War II veteran forms unlikely friendship with a preschooler

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL -- They are 86 years apart in age -- but they're best friends! Meet Erling Kindem and Emmett Rychner. Erling is 89 years old, and Emmett is three years old.

According to KARE in Minneapolis/St. Paul, little Emmett's parents, Bryan and Anika Rychner had little interaction with the elderly man who lives next door -- a World War II veteran who flew combat missions in Europe.

That all changed last year, when three-year-old Emmett paid Erling a visit -- and the two bonded over tomatoes.

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Their friendship grew over the next few months as they spent time racing lawn mowers, playing croquet and fixing bicycles.

Emmett's mother says she wondered whether their friendship would survive the harsh, Minnesota winter.

“I was in the kitchen and I heard the snow blower going, sounds like Erling is really close to the house. I opened the window and he was snow blowing a path from his back door to our back door," Anika Rychner said.

These two love spending time together -- but soon, things will change for both of them -- something they're trying not to think about right now.

CLICK HERE for more on this story via KARE11.com.