London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Pensioner, 75, brought to tears by overwhelming response to his plea for friends

A pensioner who suffered the ‘unbearable torture’ of loneliness has been brought to tears by the cascade of public support to his plea for friends.
Tony Williams, 75, from Hampshire, put up a heart-breaking poster in his front window asking for friends after the sudden death of his wife of 35 years, Jo, who died from cancer during lockdown.

The retired physicist said he felt ‘cursed’ by loneliness and often went days without talking to anyone.

He would wait for his home phone to ring but it never did.

But the phone started to ring off the hook after Metro.co.uk shared his story with the world.

The 75-year-old was flooded with messages of support from across the UK and Ireland, the Netherlands, Hungary and even from as far as the US, Canada, Australia and Hong Kong.

Surrounded by cards sent from well-wishers from near and far, Tony said he had been overwhelmed with emotion after the public’s extraordinary response to his plea for friends.

He said: ‘The love and compassion people have shown has actually brought tears to my eyes.

‘People have sent me the most delightful emails.

‘They’ve sent me pictures of their kids, their pets, told me about their aspirations and telling me they are thinking of me.’

He continued: ‘I got an email from a local teacher asking if children in her class could write me letters.

‘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.

‘Another lady who lives relatively nearby has invited me round for a G&T which I’ll be keen to do.’

Tony said he would take some time getting back to everyone as the flood of messages had crashed his email.

He said: ‘It’s just been gorgeous.

‘When I started responding they were coming in thick and fast. I would say about four or five a minute.’

According to Age UK, more than two million people over the age of 75 in England live alone.

At least one million elderly people say they go longer than a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member.

Tony took out two advertisements in local newspapers asking for company but his plea for help fell on deaf ears.

He begged: ‘I’m not looking for someone to listen to me cry – I just want a normal person who I can chat to. I can talk to anybody about anything.’
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×