Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Lonely plea brings flood of responses to widower
ALONELY widower who put up a poster asking for friends after his wife died has been inundated with emails and calls.
Tony Williams, 75, received so many emails that they crashed his inbox and he has had hundreds of phone calls from around the world.
People from America, Germany, Holland, Australia, Egypt, India and Japan have been in touch, with offers for him to pay a visit. Others have offered the retired physicist lunches, a G&T or for their children to adopt him as a grandfather.
Tony, who recently moved from Kempley in the Forest of Dean to Alton, East Hampshire, 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.
“I got an email from a local teacher asking if children in her class could write me letters. I got in touch with her straight away and said it would be delightful. I would love that.
“People have been phoning from Canada and the States. 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.
“I’ve had others reach out from Germany, Holland, Australia, Egypt, India and Japan. 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.
“The thing is, I can’t respond now, as my email account seems to have crashed. A red message came up saying there was some sort of error and it needs to be reset.”
Tony and late wife Jo moved to near Alton last year so she could be closer to her sister, Beryl, 73. But he said he was left alone after his Jo, 75, died in May, just nine days after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
They had been unable to have children and he said he often sat at home willing the phone to ring - “but it never does” - and he said he felt “cursed” by loneliness.
Tony’s neighbours said they have offered to help him - but he wants a friend of his own age to pass the time.
Without any family nearby, Tony put
The love and compassion people have shown has actually brought tears
to my eyes. TONY WILLIAMS, 75
two adverts in his local newspaper looking for a friend to chat to, but didn’t get any replies.
In a bid to find a pal to listen to music with, or just chat in the garden, Tony had business cards made to hand out when he went to the supermarket or out for a walk. Chatty Tony handed out dozens without receiving a call, so decided to put a poster up in his window asking for pals.
But now, after spending a summer “waiting for the phone to ring”, Tony has been swamped by the responses.
He is enjoying chatting on the phone to strangers - now friends - from around the world, and plans to meet up with his new pals once Covid restrictions allow.
“I’ve just been overwhelmed and am so thankful for it all,” he said.