31-year-old hottie and his 89-year-old BFF are almost too cute to be believed
If you love unlikely friendships, have we got a story for you: Enter Norma Cook, an 89-year-old California woman, and her BFF, 31-year-old Chris Salvatore.
The pair met when he moved into the apartment complex in West Hollywood four years ago. She invited him in for a glass of champagne and they’ve been inseparable ever since. Chris told People, “I love her, she’s my best friend. I would do anything for her."
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Norma, an interior decorator who has had leukemia for 10 years, experienced a sharp decline in her health last year and spent two months in the hospital. After she was released she was given only a few months to live and needed around-the-clock care. Chris, an actor and musician, stepped into the role of her full-time caregiver.
He’s posted some of their adventures on social media and amassed a bit of a following using the hashtag #MyNeighborNorma.
When insurance would not cover the cost of her care, Salvatore called upon their online fans to help. In November, he set up a GoFundMe page aimed at raising $40,000 for his ailing pal. They exceeded their goal and have since raised it to $60,000 in hopes of extending Norma's time (who is still “continuing to THRIVE!” according to a recent update to the page).
Norma does, indeed, seem like the greatest neighbor ever. And Chris is pretty much a dream come true--I mean, he plays the keytar and starred in the gay sex comedy "Eating Out 3: All You Can Eat" for heaven’s sake. This story is almost too cute to be believed.
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Yes, there is every chance that Salvatore is in it as much for his own publicity as he is for building up Norma’s bank account. But Norma, for her part, seems to be a willing participant who's getting a kick out of all this. So probably no need to start a #FreeNorma campaign just yet.
In these very dark times, we could all stand to believe in the basic decency of our neighbors. So let’s just ignore the shirt emblazoned with Chris’s bulging bicep behind them in this video and instead delight in Norma’s sizable stuffed bear collection, OK?
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Cassie Murdoch is Mashable's Culture Editor.. Before coming here, Cassie was Senior Culture Writer at Vocativ. She previously wrote for Jezebel and The Hairpin. Cassie spends most of her time thinking about and consuming cheese in all its glorious forms.
