Despite health issues, single dad near Charlotte ensures his son sees holiday joy
For single dad Eric Nerone, nothing’s more important than being a good father to his 5½-year-old son, Kadin.
Until about a year and a half ago, Ohio was the only home he’d ever known. Over the years, Nerone’s sisters and mom had all relocated out of state. Nerone has some health challenges, so living far from any family support, while trying to work and raise his son on his own had become especially difficult.
He and Kadin moved to the Charlotte area in May 2024 for a fresh start. They joined Nerone’s mother, who was relocating from Chicago. The three now live in Cornelius together.
Nerone and his son had to leave all their furniture and Kadin’s toys behind. But this year, the Nerone family is getting help from the Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte’s Angel Tree program to ensure that Kadin has the merriest Christmas possible.
The program matches children in need with anonymous donors who buy them presents for Christmas, and provides senior citizens with gifts. In cases where donors didn’t step up, Charlotte Observer readers covered the expense by giving to the Empty Stocking Fund.
Nerone has a kidney condition and some skeletal problems, including a herniated lower disc. He also has navigated depression and autism. These health issues have made it harder for him to keep a full-time job longterm.
But in the Charlotte area, he’d found a well-paying position he really liked in rental maintenance. He worked there for more than a year. Then in August, he lost that job unexpectedly.
The same day, the engine on his car overheated and blew, making it unusable. “I’ve never been able to afford decent cars,” Nerone said. “Only cheap, old junkers already half in the scrapyard.”
He and Kadin now depend on Nerone’s mom for rides, or they walk to get to places.
Nerone, 38, has applied for Social Security disability insurance and is waiting to hear about his eligibility. In the meantime, he is limited to working no more than 20 hours per week at the part-time job he works at McDonald’s.
Any extra time is used for going to doctors’ appointments and doing all he can to take better care of his health.
“It’s pretty much always been about working, and I never really had insurance and money to take care of the doctors and everything,” he said.
“I’m getting a little older, my physical health is getting a little worse,” Nerone added. “I want to try to be there for my son as long as possible. So, I’m kind of trying not to beat myself up so much.”
Help from Angel Tree and the Empty Stocking Fund
The Observer has sponsored the Empty Stocking Fund since about 1920. In the past six years, the Empty Stocking Fund has raised over $1 million thanks to Observer readers and their generous spirit.
The Angel Tree program is helping more than 1,600 families in Mecklenburg and Union counties this holiday season, including more than 3,600 children, Salvation Army officials said.
In addition to helping kids and their families, the Angel Tree program also is giving gift cards this season to more than 1,400 seniors and people with disabilities.
Money from the 2024 Empty Stocking Fund campaign also bought 4,604 toys for the 2025 effort, as well as gift cards for seniors, foster children and adults with disabilities.
“It’s not about helping the parents or anything,” Nerone said. “It’s about helping the kids be able to enjoy their holidays.
“Otherwise, I wouldn’t really be able to do anything for him this season after losing my job and not even making enough money to pay my essential bills, let alone help pay my mom for some rent and everything.”
A Christmas wishlist
Kadin is a big fan of reptiles — among them alligators, crocodiles and dinosaurs. This Christmas, he’s asked Santa for a Godzilla toy. It’s something he talks about frequently, Nerone said.
Kadin’s growing quickly, so clothes are also needed. Usually, Nerone tries to buy them second-hand, but this year his sister, who lives in Georgia, bought Kadin some clothes as a Christmas present to help out.
“Other than that, I’m… not going to really have the money to pretty much do anything for him. So, between my sister and family and the Angel Tree program and everybody in the community, it’s going to make sure that he gets a little something.”
Spending quality time together
Nerone tries to spend as much time with Kadin as possible since he knows these younger years go by fast.
“My dad was never really around, as I was growing up most of the time,” Nerone said. “So that’s also partly what leads me to trying to make the best for my son and try to be a better father than I felt my dad was ... My mom raised us three kids on her own.
“She did a wonderful job, and I’m just trying to try to do as good as I can for my son and all that.”
For Nerone, holiday time in particular is family time.
At Halloween, they both dressed up as Spider-Man, Kadin’s favorite superhero. Over Thanksgiving, Kadin helped Nerone prepare some of the dishes from the donated food they received from Kadin’s school — Cornelius Elementary, the Blessing Baskets program and Christ Community Church.
And recently, they attended several local Christmas celebrations, including the Cornelius Tree Lighting Ceremony, with help from Nerone’s mom, who drove them there.
Nerone hopes this year they can add some new holiday traditions, too, now that Kadin’s getting a little older. They may try cookie baking or make some crafts, an activity they both enjoy.
“The community around Cornelius and even Huntersville,” where the family lived previously, “has just been absolutely wonderful,” Nerone said. “I’m so grateful for community and family and his school, all the teachers… It’s been a huge blessing on me emotionally as well as on Kadin.”
How to donate to the Empty Stocking Fund
To donate online, visit EmptyStockingFundCLT.org.
To donate by mail, send checks to: The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte, PO Box 31128, Charlotte, NC 28231. Make checks payable to The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte and write “Empty Stocking Fund” in the memo line.
Questions concerning your donation? Call 704-334-4731.