On a gloomy and chilly Monday, a ray of brightness returned to the corner of Union Court and Fifth Street in Chesterton — Al the Crossing Guard.

Donning a cow’s head hat and armed with a stop sign in his right hand, Allen Novreske was there to spread cheer along with ensuring that children safely traversed Fifth Street to Bailly Elementary School.

His unique, jovial way of interacting with children, parents and passing motorists has made him a local legend.

The community almost lost him.

Novreske, 68, had been sidelined since Jan. 15 when he was downed by a wicked combination of a heart attack, congestive lung failure and pneumonia.

Struggling for his next breath, he nearly died on his living room couch that day. Novreske underwent a triple bypass operation and is still going through cardiac rehabilitation.

“I am not back to where I was, but I’m working on it. We’ll get back there,” Novreske said.With the return of students from spring break Monday, Novreske was in good enough shape to return.

After serving at Bailly Elementary, Novreske moves down the street to Westchester Intermediate School, where’s worked the past two years. He returns for afternoon dismissals at the two schools.

During his time in recovery, Novreske was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from the community. There were meals, homemade cards and gifts, like the cow’s head hat he wore Monday morning.

“What’s up, Sam. It’s good to see you again,” Novreske said to the first student to cross Fifth Street.

“It’s good to see you, too,” Sam said as he bumped fists with Novreske. As he was leading Sam through the crosswalk, Novreske touched his hand again and told him to “have a great day.”

Novreske knew the names of all the children who came to the corner and he repeated the same greeting and sendoff.

In between, Novreske waved at every passing vehicle. To those who honked their horn, Novreske would point back. Some rolled down their window to yell out their good wishes.

The way that all started was when Novreske would wave to the school buses.

“Then I started waving to everybody because I didn’t know who was waving,” Novreske said.

“I found the adults like the waving. It brightens them up a little bit.”

The hat thing started when Al wore a silly hat every Friday. He soon had a whole collection of them. He always wears a camel hat on Wednesday, symbolizing “hump day”.

It isn’t all greetings and levity, though. Novreske said he can count 25 occasions when he had to pull a child away from an oncoming car. Novreske said he was even struck by a car once.

James McFadden accompanied his son Henry to the corner and stopped and talked with Novreske. McFadden, who works as a pharmacist at Northwest Health Porter, recalled how he visited Novreske when he was hospitalized.

“You’re a part of this community, Al,” McFadden said.

Another parent called out as he walked by Novreske: “You can’t keep a good man down.”

Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.