Tony Williams: 75-year-old is desperately looking for friends

Against the loneliness after the death of his wife, a 75-year-old went desperately in search of friends – with an emotional message.

"I lost Jo", is written in gold letters on a black background. Silver flowers surround the words. It's a nice poster, no question about it, hanging on Tony Williams' door in East Hampshire. Albeit a sad one. Because Jo is his wife's name. She died in May of this year.

The 75-year-old has been alone since then. Every day he sits in front of his phone, hoping someone would call. But it remains silent. Tony has already tried to get his number among people several times. He placed an ad in the newspaper. He printed business cards. He distributed them in parks. But no one ever reported back. Tony neither wants to sell anything nor be a burden to anyone. His request is a modest one: the man is just looking for friends.

Loneliness as torture

Now this poster is hanging on his window. It's his last attempt, Tony tells tyla magazine. He has no family or friends. And nobody else to talk to. "I feel the indispensable silence 24 hours a day as an unbearable torture", is written on the poster. And the last, desperate question: "Can't anyone help me?"

It's been more than 35 years since Tony met his Jo in a bar. They talked, exchanged ideas – and it was as if they had known each other forever, Tony recalls. From then on, they spent every free minute together: "Sometimes we spent hours cooking, laughing and listening to music – that was the highlight of our days", Tony still enthuses about his wife today: "She was my best friend".

Tony's wife died of cancer

In May, Jo suddenly felt bad. The disease turned out to be pancreatic cancer. The couple had just nine days after the diagnosis until Jo died at the age of 75 in their common home. Tony stayed behind: "Now I am here, completely alone, in our common house, where my loving wife spent her last days dying".

Although Tony is in deep grief, he doesn't want to incriminate anyone: "I'm not looking for someone to listen to me crying – I just want someone to chat with! I can talk to anyone about anything", the 75-year-old assures.

The poster has been hanging on his window for a few days. Now English-language magazines have launched an appeal to find friends for Tony. He is still waiting longingly for his phone to ring – hopefully soon it will be his doorbell that will keep the widower on his toes when his new friends come to visit.

Sources used: Tyla, Metro, SWNS