- Aoife Malone shared the story of her surprising friendship this week – and gave TikTok all the feels
- The jewelry brand owner told the tale of how she met her pal Tommy – who is 70 years her senior
- Despite the huge age gap, the pair have been firm friends for nine years
Age-gap friendships are a hot topic at the moment – just look at how Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder’s relationship blossomed on the set of their new movie, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
But it’s not just celebrities who make surprising friendship choices – as the Internet found out this week.
In a now viral TikTok video, creator Aoife Isabella Malone shared a story of her friendship with a man called Tommy.
The catch? When they first became pals, Aoife was 19… and Tommy was 89.
In a series of slides to the social media app, the Northern Irish jewelry brand owner detailed how the pair became fast friends.
After moving to Scotland to study fashion in her late teens, Aoife needed a part-time job alongside her degree, and so started working at a betting shop.
Recently widowed Tommy would come in “multiple times a day” for some company – and after a few days, Aoife asked if she could join him at the local bingo hall.
And the rest is history.
‘Nine whole years of friendship!’
“That night at the bingo was the start of a beautiful friendship!” wrote Aoife. “I’d see Tommy when I was at work every day and I’d go to his house a few times a week, he’d cook me dinner or I’d take him to the cinema – the pictures, he calls it.
“He even modeled for me for one of my uni projects. Killed it tbh.”
Over the years, Tommy taught her how to drive, the pair would hang out with her friends, and he met her family. He even attended Aoife’s graduation ceremony alongside her mum.
Despite a move to America, Aoife’s friendship with Tommy is still going strong.
“Nine whole years of friendship,” she continued. “He was in WW2 and has some amazing stories, he’s a big feminist [and] really doesn’t understand the world we live in now and how it’s gotten so dark.
“He helped me through breakups, s**** jobs and uni stresses. Over the years he’s taught me a lot… And I taught him how to do the peace sign.
“He’s 98 now (99 next month) and I get to see him every six weeks or so. He’s in a care home now but still as sharp as the day I first met him.”
‘You’re an angel!’
TikTokers went wild for the sweet story in the comments.
“There is a special place in heaven for people like you,” wrote one, while another added, “You probably gave him more years to his life, gave him something to look forward to and helped through loneliness, you’re an angel.”
Someone else said, “You have made this man’s life so much more enjoyable and I’d say you’ve honestly gave him more years to live. Love this so much.”
Another continued, “You gave him one of the best gifts. The gift of escaping loneliness at his old age. This is the most beautiful friendship story I have ever seen.”
Even Aoife’s mum Colette was touched by the video, and wrote, “An absolute gentleman and great pal to my amazing daughter.”
