Growing old can be lonely for some, especially if your partner is no longer with you. When Tony Williams lost his wife, he immediately felt the effects. To combat the loneliness he felt, though, he placed a sign on his window asking for friends.
"I have lost Jo, my lovely wife and soulmate" the sign read, "I have no friends or family, no one to talk to, I find the unremitting silence 24 hours a day unbearable torture, can no one help me?" And help him they did...
Since the sign was first posted in England, people from around the world in America, Germany, Holland, Australia, Egypt, India, and Japan have all reached out to offer their friendship. Whether it was a road trip or a trip to the pub, new friends from around the globe reached out to offer their companionship.
"The love and compassion people have shown have actually brought tears to my eyes," said Tony, "People have sent me the most delightful emails."
"People have been phoning from Canada and the States," said the man, "One lady phoned up and said if I get on a plane sometime she would pick me up and show me her area of Florida… It’s just been gorgeous." Since his email has crashed, it's been hard for the 75-year-old physicist to answer every one, but he is eager to do so, and the kindness from so many strangers has transformed his life.