DES PLAINES, Ill. - In Des Plaines, neither rain nor sleet nor snow could stop this tight-knit community from taking time out from their busy lives to honor their longtime letter carrier, Gary Connor, as he retires after spending nearly 40 years at the Postal Service.

What we know:

"I tried to make it 40 years, but I made it to 39.5 which is good enough," he told Fox 32.

Connor had hopes of making it to 40 years but suffered a stroke that forced him off of his route and into retirement, but he walks away from the job knowing he earned so much more than a paycheck.

"Most of it is all the love I got from these people, all the prayers that they gave me when I was sick," he adds.

Overwhelmed by the show of love and support, Connor said those who threw him his impromptu retirement party

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