This heartwarming and wholesome story shows how humanity is still alive and thriving! It comes from West Hollywood, CA, USA. An 84-year-old woman named Norma Cook lived alone in her apartment with her beloved cat Hermes.

Age can be a cruel thing for many when they’re left alone to fend for themselves. Norma was lonely and needed a friend. She was battling a lot of illnesses by herself. Little did she know, life had a new best friend in store for her.

A 26-year-old man named Chris Salvatore moved next door to her apartment. And as soon as he found out about his neighbor, he quickly introduced himself, and the two became instant best friends! They started having dinners, gossiping about the neighborhood, watching TV, basically ultimately making Norma’s loneliness vanish!

While speaking to TODAY, Chris said:

“She offered me a glass of Champagne — it’s her favorite drink — and we just sat down and talked,”

“We connected right away. Back when she was a young adult, she had a lot of friends who were gay, and I’m also gay, so I think it made her feel safe at home and at peace to sort of have that bond again.”

Their beautiful friendship lasted for five years. In 2016, Norma started having breathing difficulties. She was diagnosed with pneumonia and later diagnosed with leukemia.

 Her doctors advised her that she needed 24/7 care for her condition and couldn’t be in her apartment anymore; they also told her that she didn’t have much time left before her illness took her away. This is where her best friend, Chris, jumped in and asked her to move in with him next door.

Chris talked about how it felt so see such tremendous support from people:

“I’m so happy I was able to give her this gift of living her last days at home,”

“I can’t imagine what it’s like to go through the end of your life at a hospital without your friends or pets. I never expected to raise $50,000. It was definitely a miracle.”

In February 2017 – Norma sadly passed away. Chris had gained a life-long friendship with Norma that would stay for him forever.

He talked about Norma’s passing:

“I feel her watching over me and it is a happy feeling,”

“She is out of pain and in peace, probably drinking a glass of champagne, dancing, reunited with the many friends that she’s had throughout her life. I am forever a changed man and I thank this magnificent lady for everything she has taught me.”

This story brought tears to our eyes. We hope more humans like Chris exist who have nothing but kindness in their hearts. We wish you all the best for your future, Chris Salvatore. Thank you for being such a genuine human being!